Hungry for Tsuna
by Death2Afangirl
Summary: Tsunayoshi Sawada has always been invisible but when he goes to Namimori All boys school...that all changes. Everyone has their eyes to make Tsuna their main squeeze but how is Tsuna taking this? Read and Review. Everyone27 well not everyone
1. Enter Tsunayoshi Sawada

Hungry for Tsuna

A Kateikyoshi Hitman Reborn Fanfiction

Rating: T- Shounen Ai

Edited on June 19, 2009

Chapter One: Enter Tsunayoshi Sawada

Tsunayoshi Sawada sighed looking at his train ticket. This piece of paper would be his means of passage into his new high school. He had agreed with his parents' decision to send him to an all boy's boarding school in the mountains. His grades were less than stellar, his athleticism were laughable and he wasn't very sociable, he barely had any friends. He wondered to himself how he would survive in an all boy's school, if he barely survived public junior high school. Tsuna didn't know what his parents were thinking sending him to a boarding school. Perhaps, they were giving him more credit than he deserved or he had done something bad and this was punishment. He was destined for failure and he knew it. As soon as he stepped into this new school, Tsuna was sure that junior high school will happen all over again. He already saw the humiliation, the bullying, the remedial lessons and being called, "No Good Tsuna" his infamous nickname.

The whistle sounded signaling that the train was about to leave the station. Tsuna looked at the train in front of him. If he left now, he wouldn't have to deal with this new school. He could go to a regular school, close to his mother. But Tsuna reasoned that his mother and mysterious father had spent a lot of money to get him into this school. He couldn't turn his back on the sacrifice they made for him. And besides, he would still have to go through high school. Maybe, this school could be better for him if he was surrounded by his fellow man: the guys. It would be even more awkward with girls…he couldn't speak their language. It was like they were speaking a new, super Japanese or a dialect spoken by aliens.

This contemplation boosted Tsuna's resolve and finally stepped on to the train. As soon as he saw the doors close, he knew his fate was sealed. He was on his way to Namimori Private All Boys Institution and there was no turning back.

Several hours later….

"Namimori Private All Boys Institution" The train conductor yelled as soon as the train pulled into the station.

The chestnut brown haired boy's eyes opened as he heard the conductor's announcement. He slightly wiped at the drool that had ran down the side of his mouth as he slept. The brunette got up from his seat and stepped off the train. Night had already fallen and he was kind of bewildered by how quiet it was. His neighborhood was quiet, but it was a dead silence that engulfed this foreign place. He didn't even hear the creaking of insects. He frowned, wondering where he decided to go school at.

Tsuna turned to the side of the train and observed as some people began to pick up their luggage. The majority of people who went to retrieve their luggage were young men around Tsuna's age.

Tsuna felt his anxiety rise as he walked closer to the group of boys. He was never good at talking to people and he was always making a fool out of himself. He wanted to greet them but his words were stuck in his throat. He then ignored his own urge to speak and sheepishly went to retrieve his luggage. Trying to make himself invisible, he slowly and quietly slipped past the large group of boys. Then a dark haired male noticed the small figure of Tsuna grabbing his luggage. He smiled.

"Hello…" The dark haired male walked up to Tsuna. "Are you going to Namimori, too?"

Tsuna jumped slightly as the guy walked over and talked to him. He then smiled nervously. "Y-yes…I am."

The other boy's smile grew even more. "Me too…I'm Yamamoto Takeshi, I'm going to be a freshman. Who are you?"

Tsuna found the other's smile to be contagious and he couldn't help but smile back. "Nice to meet you, Yamamoto-san. My name is Sawada Tsunayoshi. I'll be in the same year as you."

Yamamoto's eyebrow raised a bit as Tsuna smiled at him. He thought the other had a nice smile. He didn't know what it was but the other's smile made him feel warm. "Small world, huh?" The young man laughed.

"I guess…" He said thinking the other was a bit off. After all, today was the day that all freshmen were supposed to report to the school. It wouldn't be weird to think the people that arrived were all freshman.

"Well, we better head to school. I heard that this school is very strict on lateness. Something about people getting bitten to death…funny right?" Yamamoto said, picking up his own luggage and starting to head off the platform.

_Bitten to death?????!!!!!!. _Tsuna thought to himself. He didn't find anything funny about being bitten to death. He began to really think that his parents were truly punishing. Why would they send him to a place where people get bitten to death? He wondered if they were fed up with his horrible grades that they sent him to some kind of reformatory or something. He frowned and then got out of his pessimistic thoughts. He didn't want to lose sight of his first potential friend. The smaller boy followed after Yamamoto.

Tsuna made sure to stay close to Yamamoto since he didn't know the way to school. However, after a while it seemed like the two were going around in circles. Tsuna's eyes passed over a very familiar tree and then he looked to Yamamoto. "Err…Yamamoto-san, how far is the school?"

The taller boy scratched the back of his head and then chuckled. "I wish I knew…"

"What?!" Tsuna exclaimed. "Do you know where you're going?"

"Not a clue…" Yamamoto said honestly.

_Kami-sama, why do you hate me so?_ Tsuna frowned at Yamamoto but it didn't seem as if the other boy was worried at all. He always managed to have that smile on his face. Tsuna admired him and hated him for it. The brunette began to wonder if the other was truly happy that they were lost. "So…what are we going to do now? Should we go back to the station?" Tsuna suggested.

Yamamoto looked to Tsuna and his smiled grew a bit. "I don't remember where that is…"

_Unbelievable._ He thought to himself. He then tried to remember where they had come from. "Then, I'll lead the way. Maybe we get back to the train platform and figure it out." He said grabbing a hold of Yamamoto's hand and leading the way.

The dark haired boy eyes widened a bit as he felt the smaller boy take a hold of his hand. His hand felt so warm and inviting just like the other's smile. He found himself slightly blushing as the other lead him along. Yamamoto began to wonder why he began to feel that way around this boy. All his life, he had thought of nothing but baseball. Honestly, Baseball was also the reason why they had gotten lost. Yamamoto has never been able to switch off and think of anything else but his beloved sport. Baseball was his life. However, this boy that he met less than an hour ago was now invading his thoughts. Baseball was no longer his concern but the fact that the boy was touching his hand was. What was it about Tsuna?

In no time Yamamoto and Tsuna were able to get back to the platform. Tsuna sighed with relief since they weren't lost anymore but they still no where near the school. The chestnut haired boy looked to the baseball freak. "So how will we get to the school?" Tsuna then noticed that he was still holding onto Yamamoto's hand. Embarrassed, the brunette quickly released the taller boy's hand. "I-I'm so sorry. Did I do that the whole time?" Tsuna asked, frowning.

Yamamoto watched Tsuna withdrew his hand from his and he was kind of sad that the other decided to remove his hand from his. He then looked to Tsuna and assured him. "It's alright…I didn't even notice. Maybe we should ask for directions?"

Tsuna's eyes brightened up at Yamamoto's good idea. "Okay…" He smiled and Yamamoto could have sworn his heart skipped a beat, just seeing the other's face illuminate. He then watched as the boy walked off in search for someone. "Tsuna…why are you so cute?" He said to himself.

Tsuna frantically searched for someone that could give him directions. He then went to the station's office, hoping that someone could help him there. He walked up to the window. "E-excuse me. I'm sorry to bother you but could you give me directions to Namimori Private All Boys School?" Tsuna asked.

"Sure…here you go." The person on the other side of the window pushes a piece of paper towards him. "It's a map."

Tsuna opened the piece of paper up to see a map to Namimori from the station. The Map was well written and there were even directions on the back in brail! _It was that easy! _Tsuna thought to himself_. _He then looked to the window and bowed. "Thank you so much…" He then raced over to where he left Yamamoto.

When Tsuna reached the spot that he thought Yamamoto would b, the taller boy was nowhere to be found. However, Yamamoto and his luggage was still there. He groaned inwardly, hoping that the other was doing something useful like trying to find directions or perhaps, Yamamoto had went to the bathroom. Tsuna decided to wait for him. It was getting later and later, but there was no sign of Yamamoto. The brunette started to get worried, wondering where his companion could have gone. He sighed. _My first day is going great…_ He thought to himself.

Tsuna then jumped when he heard something in the bushes nearby. He slowly faced the noise. He held in a scream as he saw Yamamoto emerge abruptly from the bushes. After he recovered for his mild heart attack, Tsuna was relieved to see that his friend was okay. The small boy moved from his place and walked closer to the taller boy. "Yamamoto-san, where have you been?" He started to notice that the closer he got to the other, the more he noticed the injuries inflicted on baseball fanatic. The other was covered in gashes and bruises. Tsuna watched as the tall boy fell to the ground with a loud thump. "Yamamoto!"

Tsuna went to the other's side. Although, the brunette had no idea how to help Yamamoto, he still wanted to try and relieve the other. As Tsuna attempted to help him stand, Yamamoto took a hold of the brunette's hand, getting the small boy's attention. "Tsuna…you have to run…" He told Tsuna with urgency. "Don't worry about me…get out of here why you still can."

"What?" Tsuna couldn't believe his ears. What could have happened to his friend for him to act this way? He continued to press. "What happened to you, Yamamoto?"

Yamamoto began to lose consciousness, the world was slowly turning black. However, he was able to say one last thing to Tsuna before he completely blacked out. "Bitten…" He whispered.

The chestnut haired boy eyes widened hearing the other say he had been bitten. Tsuna looked at the other's body and didn't see any bite marks. He frowned wondering what the other meant by being bitten. He then remembered what Yamamoto had said earlier about what happened when you were late in Namimori. He remembered that you were "Bitten to death" if you were tardy. He wondered if this was what happened to Yamamoto. Tsuna frowned, he couldn't run away like Yamamoto told him to. He couldn't leave him like this. Yamamoto's injuries looked pretty serious as well.

Tsuna attempted to pick up his fallen pal but the other weighed more than he could handle. He was always physically weak. He never did well in sports. He sighed, cursing his own lack of strength. He really needed it, now.

Suddenly, there was a rustle from the same bushes that Yamamoto had emerged from just moments ago. Tsuna felt his temperature drop to subzero as fear consumed him. He hoped that it was just an animal or the wind but he knew with his luck it wasn' jumped as he watched the bushes rustle more violently and he could even hear footsteps coming near him. "Hiiiiiiieeeee!!!" Tsuna's eyes widened as he saw a hand emerge from the bushes and then slowly a body followed. Tsuna stared at the figure unable to breathe, speak or blink.

A dark haired boy stood before him, his eyes concealed by his bangs. Tsuna watched as the boy did nothing but just stand there. The brunette's eyes passed over the Namimori crest on his dark vest. _He comes from the school_, Tsuna thought to himself. _Maybe I can ask him for help._ Tsuna was unsure whether or not he should trust the stranger. However, he decided to trust him, because Yamamoto really needed the help. "Um…e-excuse me." The small boy waited until the other turned in his direction. "My friend was attacked and he needs help. I can't carry him by myself. Could you help me?" Tsuna asked.

He watched the other, waiting for his answer. "Do you go to Namimori?" The boy questioned.

Tsuna nodded. "Yes, I start today. But we got lost-"

"You are late…" The other said cutting Tsuna off. "Lateness goes against the discipline of Namimori."

Tsuna jumped as tonfas seem to suddenly appear in the other hands from thin air. "Hiiieee!!" The brunette yelled as he getting on his feet, preparing to defend himself if he needed to. However, Tsuna was a bit angry at the other for attacking him because he was late. Didn't he care that his friend was hurt? "What's wrong with you? Don't you see he's hurt? It's the stupid's school fault for being so hard to find?" Tsuna found himself yelling at the tonfa totting boy. He didn't know where it had come from, but he believed that what said was true.

Suddenly, Tsuna felt a murderous aura surround him and it was coming from the boy. Tsuna watched as the stranger lifted his head up revealing his dark blue-grey eyes. However, the stranger's eyes were filled with daggers. "Namimori…stupid?" He repeated what Tsuna had said and smirked. "Looks like…I'll be biting you to death."

The brunette watched as the boy charged at him. Without thinking Tsuna did the only thing he knew he could do run. "I take it back!" He yelled but the other boy was not letting up. "Namimori is a wonderful place…"

Tsuna began running away from the other not watching where he was going. So it was no surprised that the chestnut haired boy tripped over his and Yamamoto's baggage. He collapsed on the floor and began to get too tangled up in the straps of the bags. Because of the restrictions of the bags, Tsuna was unable to move any further and he could see the boy with tonfas coming closer and closer to him. He cursed himself for his clumsiness. Soon, it was too late, the stranger had managed to hover over him. His chestnut eyes watched as the other lifted up a tonfa in the air, preparing to strike. Before the other could hit him, Tsuna fainted from the sheer suspense of his impending doom.

*********

Tsuna felt himself lying on something very soft and something warm was near him. He slowly opened his eyes, finding himself in a room that he had never been to. His chestnut brown eyes passed over the just of the room. The room looked like a very expensive dormitory. He then realized that he was on a bed wearing the clothes that he had wore brunette then looked to the side of him to see the strange boy who had attacked him earlier that night. Tsuna's temperature went cold again and so many questions flowed through his head. One of which was why he was in bed with his attacker?! He was even more curious on why the other was sleeping next to him, as well?! Tsuna decided to keep these thoughts to himself. He didn't want to risk putting himself in any danger by waking the other up. The small boy didn't want to get bitten to death. Tsuna tried to stay as still as possible, hoping that his attacker wouldn't wake up.


	2. Tsuna the Cute

Hungry for Tsuna

A Kateikyoshi Hitman Reborn Fanfiction

Pairing: Everyone27 (well…not everyone)

Disclaimer: I do not own this anime…all rights to Akira Amano!

Hungry for Tsuna Chapter Two summary: After escaping Hibari…Tsuna makes more friends…one of which invades his personal space.

Author's note: I know Chapter one just came out but…I kind of want the character introductions out of the way. After you read this chapter, you can probably guess the characters that will have bigger parts than others. Well, kind of. Anyway, read and review.

Chapter Two: Tsuna the Cute

Tsuna opened his eyes to find himself laying next to death himself, or rather the tonfa wielding guy that had attacked him and Yamamoto earlier. Tsuna sighed wondering why he was in the bed with a man, who had been determined to kill him. Staring up at the sleeping face of the mysterious boy that threatened his life, the brunette had to admit that he was pretty handsome, when he wasn't surrounded with a murderous aura. Perhaps, the dangerous boy wasn't such a bad person after all…maybe he had offended the other for calling Namimori stupid. Tsuna felt bad for insulting something important to the dark haired boy. Tsuna then said softly. "I really am sorry for insulting something important to you."

Tsuna watched as the boy stirred after he spoke his words. He panicked thinking he woke the other up. The freshman watched as the other silently turned on his side. Tsuna sighed after a few moments realizing that the other probably hadn't heard him. _Thank Kami-sama_. Tsuna thought to himself feeling as if a year was taken from his lifespan. His chestnut brown eyes then scanned the room for a door. If he was quiet enough…maybe he could escape, but he wasn't sure where he could escape to. Tsuna wasn't really clear on where he was. He may be at the school or he could be somewhere else…Tsuna didn't know. He knew he couldn't ask his captor out of fear. So he decided to brave it. He slowly inched himself to the edge of the bed, being careful not to alert his captor.

When the freshman got to the edge of the bed, he softly sat up trying not to move the bed too much. Then he slowly stands up taking his time to inch up into a standing position. He then breathes realizing that he had been holding his breath the entire time. Tsuna looked over his shoulder at the sleeping boy and was glad he was still in a deep slumber. Tsuna was positive if he woke the other up, the tonfa wielder would be out to finish his threat of biting him to death. This thought made Tsuna want to leave even more. He quickly went to the door and he found it unlocked. He wasn't surprised, if anyone knew who slept here, Tsuna doubted anyone would want to disturbed him. He then quickly stepped out and softly shutting the door behind him.

Tsuna found himself in a uniquely designed hallway. His eyes went straight up, witnessing the night sky. The entire ceiling was made up of glass and the beautiful sky was visible. The walls of the hallway were a pure white and the floor was made of a dark carpet with glowing moon and star designs. It was beautiful; Tsuna felt he was in a planetarium. However, realizing that he was still in front of the door of his captor, the brunette was broke back to reality. Tsuna looked up and down the hallways wondering which way he should go. He decided to go right, simply because he was right handed. He slowly walked down the hallway afraid that he might do something clumsy and alert the tonfa boy.

Tsuna walked for a while and it wasn't for a while before he heard voices. Tsuna curiously checked out who could be up at this time of night. He hoped it wasn't the tonfa boy looking for him. Tsuna rounded a corner to find a silver haired guy with a bandage over his nose talking to a dark haired guy. The dark haired guy looked really familiar. Then he placed it together realizing who it was. "Yamamoto!" Tsuna whispered loudly as he came down the hallway to meet the two.

The two jumped slightly but when Yamamoto realized who had called his name, he smiled brightly at him. "Tsuna!" He whispered loudly back, not wanting to yell.

The chestnut haired boy was so happy to see that the other was okay. The other was still a bit banged up but it would heal in time. He could see that the other could still laugh and smile as usual. "So you're okay?" He said looking to Yamamoto and then he looked to the person the other was talking to. He smiled at the silver haired boy. "Hello…I'm Sawada Tsunayoshi. Nice to meet you."

The silver haired boy slightly blushed at the charming smiled that the other gave him. He then gave the other a toothy grin. "Sasagawa Ryohei. Nice to meet you too, to the extreme!"

Yamamoto was a little jealous that Tsuna's full attention wasn't on him but once the boy looked back at him with that smile…he was on cloud nine. "Sorry…if I worried you." He said scratching the back of his head. He was happy to know that Tsuna was worried about him."Hibari was kind of rough on me. How were you able to escape from him?"

"Hibari?" Tsuna asked looking at Yamamoto confused. "Who's that?"

Yamamoto laughed. "Oh right, you don't know his name. Hibari Kyouya. He's the head of the disciplinary committee for Namimori. He takes the rules of the school very seriously and I guess you can thank him for keeping Namimori a safe place. He was the person who attacked us earlier."

Sasagawa nodded. "He likes to bite people to death, to the extreme."

"I see." Tsuna said listening to the other's description of his captor. He was surprised that he wasn't bitten by the other like Yamamoto. Maybe he felt sorry for him and decided not to. However, that didn't explain why he was sleeping in the same bed as Hibari. Things weren't making sense? Well, things hadn't made sense from the beginning, like the point of him coming here the first place. "Well, I didn't get bitten miraculously…" He said.

Yamamoto was glad that other didn't get hurt. He would hate to see a cute guy like Tsuna get hurt. However, he was curious on why Hibari didn't get him. It wasn't the other's style. No one ever got away from being bitten…no one. Well, that's what he heard anyway. He then smiled at Tsuna. "Well, perhaps we should go back to bed. I think I had enough excitement for one day."

Tsuna couldn't agree with Yamamoto more. His first day of junior high school was never this eventful. Tsuna was starting to believe that he had entered the twilight zone but he was happy that Yamamoto seemed pretty normal. He was glad he was friends with him because it would distract him from the craziness of the school. Tsuna suddenly remembered that he escaped from the prefects' room. He hoped that he was still asleep or far away. He was sure they were breaking rules just by standing here. He then remembered that he had no idea where his room was and his luggage wasn't with him. "Right…but I don't know where my room is and I think I left my luggage outside."

Sasagawa smiled. "It's okay to the extreme. Your stuff was probably picked up by Hibari's committee. They probably placed it in your room."

"I thought of that." Yamamoto said. "So I looked up your name. Your room number is twenty-seven."

Tsuna looked to both Sasagawa and Yamamoto thankfully. "Thank you so much." He knew he made one enemy but he was able to make two friends. And that they were helpful.

The sugary-ness of the other's actions was starting to get to Yamamoto and Sasagawa. Yamamoto had already fallen under the boy's spell and Sasagawa was starting to. Yamamoto waved his hand and laughed. "It's not a problem. It's the least I could do for getting you lost."

Tsuna walked with Sasagawa and Yamamoto back to the rooms. Tsuna laughed. "It wasn't that bad. It was kind of fun. I wouldn't mind being lost with you again, Yamamoto-san."

Yamamoto felt his blush redden. He couldn't help but smile at that. Tsuna then realized that they were coming near to his room. Number twenty-seven. "Well, hopefully we have class together. Night, Yamamoto. Night, Sasagawa." He said as went to the door. It was open and he was glad that it was. He waved good bye to both of the boys before closing the door. He sighed; he was just tired of today and just wanted to slip into his bed.

Tsuna moved into his bed, feeling so drained by the whole day. His chestnut brown orbs moved over to the place his luggage was sitting. Tsuna was happy he didn't have to worry about that. He dropped onto his bed and grabbed his pillow and hugging it to his chest. Tsuna really couldn't wait for what tomorrow had in store for him. "Maybe tomorrow wouldn't be so bad…" He said to himself as he drifted off to sleep.

* * *

Tsuna stretched as he heard the chirping of birds. He opened his eyes to see a clear blue sky and a bright sun. The chestnut haired boy rose from his bed. Today was such a nice day and he hoped that today would be a better day. He slipped out of bed and decided to head to the shower room. He had been so tired last night that he didn't do it. He grabbed his supplies and headed down the hallway. On the way to their rooms, Yamamoto and Sasagawa had pointed it out to him. Tsuna was pleased that the room was completely empty, perhaps because it was so early in the morning.

After washing under the shower, he decided to soak in the bath for a while. He was glad that he was able to be alone. After all, the craziness that happened the previous night, he didn't want to see anybody for a while. However, his wish was not granted. The brunette was alerted to footsteps coming towards the bath. His brown eyes looked up at a white-haired boy with mesmerizing lilac eyes. The other had a weird tattoo under his right eye which the freshman admitted was quite unique.

"Am I disturbing you?" The newcomer asked with a sing-song tone to his voice.

Tsuna shook his head rapidly, causing the water to thrash about. "Not at all…please go ahead." He said watching as the other stepped into the bath with him. Tsuna had to admit that the other was an interesting looking person. The white haired boy seemed very delicate, but very strong at the same time. Tsuna then found himself staring and looked down into the bath water. Unbeknownst to the brunette, the other was burning his gaze into him.

"You're kind of cute…" The white haired boy said looking at Tsuna from the other side of the bath. "And I'm not just saying that. What's your name?" He asked.

Tsuna found himself blushing at the other words. He never was called cute before. He was more used to hearing No good than Cute. And why was he blushing, anyway? "Sawada Tsunayoshi." He answered.

"Well then, I'll call you Tsu-chan…okay?" The newcomer introduced himself. "I'm Byakuran."

"Byakuran?" Tsuna repeated the weird name and he wondered if that was his surname or his given name. He wasn't sure. "Byakuran-san, then?"

Byakuran laughed. "Tsu-chan…you're way too formal! Please call me whatever you like…"

_I don't even know who you are? _Tsuna thought to himself. He then smiled at the other. "But I can't do that." He laughed nervously.

"Well, I guess it can't be helped." He said with a smile. His lilac eyes stayed trained on the boy before him. Then mischievous smile appeared on his face. "So how was Hibari Kyouya?"

"Eeeee?!" Tsuna shrieked taken off guard by the other question. Blushing full blown, the brunette became fluster by the boy's remark. He wasn't sure how to respond. "What would give you an idea like that?" He asked the other.

"Tsu-chan, don't be coy. I envy you." Byakuran grinned. "The walls have ears. So it's no surprise to me and soon it wouldn't be a surprise to the student body either."

Tsuna frowned. Today was differently looking down. If everyone found out that he didn't get bitten to death by Hibari because he was sleeping in his room, he was sure everyone would be getting the wrong idea. He would never be able to live it down. Now, Byakuran-san was telling him the misunderstanding he was trying to avoid. "Nothing happened. I fainted because Hibari-san was about to beat me up and he must have brought me back to his room. It's nothing like that at all."

The white haired boy smiled as Tsuna explained. He then laughed. "I know that…don't worry, Tsu-chan. I was only playing with you."

Tsuna was relieved and both embarrassed. "Then?"

"Everyone's too afraid of the repercussions that Hibari will make if they started rumors about him. You're pretty much safe…for now." Byakuran beamed at the boy, seeing that he was relieved from his statement. "You may be safe from the rumors,but Kyo-chan is a different story."

Tsuna expected as much. He saw himself having to avoid the other for a while out of fear of being bitten to death. He gazed at Byakuran, guiltily. "I guess, Hibari-san wants to bite me to death after what I did last night..."

The white haired male pondered this. Knowing Hibari that would be something he would most likely do, but with this boy it didn't seem as if the prefect was acting normally himself. "Well, I'll tell you one thing. Hibari does want to bite you…but not to death." He winked at Tsuna. "But be careful, Tsu-kun. Kyo-chan is very aggressive. If he wants something bad enough…he'll do anything to get it. He's creepy like that."

Tsuna was so happy that Byakuran was looking out for him. He was glad to meet someone who was concerned over his well being, especially when it came to Hibari. However, he felt Byakuran was wrong about on thing. Hibari wasn't creepy…okay, maybe a little bit. Tsuna was convinced that Hibari did have a heart somewhere, if he didn't beat him up by the train station. The other actually showed him his soft side by making him his pillow last night. Maybe Hibari wasn't that bad.

Tsuna then walked over to Byakuran and took his hand into his. "Thank you so much. You really helped me and I'll try to be more careful." He said and smiled at the other. He then realized that the other was staring at him. "Ah? Byakuran-san…"

The white haired boy was surprised by Tsuna's reactions. He hadn't expected the boy to say thank you to him or even say thank you so intimately. He then slowly smiled. Tsuna was truly cute and naïve. The boy wasn't even aware of what he was doing. Didn't he know that he was unconsciously seducing him? No wonder Kyo-chan had been acting weirdly this morning…frantically looking for his precious thing and it wasn't Hibird. "Tsu-chan…you are so deliciously cute. I think I want Tsu-kun all for myself!!" Byakuran said as he glomped Tsuna.

"BYAKURAN-SAN!!!" He exclaimed as the other invaded his personal space. He decided this was a good time to get out of the bath.

"Aw…Tsu-chan. Don't be mad. I was only playing." He whined as he watched the smaller boy get out of the bath. "I still want Tsu-kun's friendship…if he will give it to me."

Tsuna looked at Byakuran. "We can still be friends." Tsuna smiled back, he guessed he could look pass what just happened a few minutes ago. He was kind of happy to make another friend.

"Good." The other said happily. "By the way, Tsu-chan has a nice package." He started laughing almost predicting how embarrassed the other might be.

Tsuna's face turned glowing red. He was not able to respond to the other's comment. He just walked not sure if he wanted to be friends with Byakuran anymore. He frowned; the white haired boy was very overwhelming. He hoped the next time they meet…he wouldn't be naked.

Byakuran watched the fleeing figure of Tsuna. He smiled to himself as he sat in the bath alone. He was already starting to miss his Tsu-chan. "Sorry, Tsu-chan, but you should be wary of me too."

* * *

Later that day….

Tsuna was so glad that it was move in day for the upperclassmen. He wouldn't have to worry about Hibari finding him wandering around. The day was starting to look up. Tsuna decided to explore the school on his own, since he couldn't find Sasagawa or Yamamoto anywhere. He was able to find his classrooms, the cafeteria, the garden, the music hall and the gym. Tsuna then decided to take a break in the library. He never was interested in books, but the school's library had a pretty relaxing atmosphere. Tsuna couldn't help but flop on to a big comfy couch. Namimori Private was a big school and began to wonder how much money his parents paid to send him here. Everything was so nice and expensive looking, he wondered if he could truly fit in here.

His eyes then noticed a silver haired boy that was across from him. He hadn't noticed the other before until he noticed what he was playing with. Dynamite! Tsuna watched as the other examined the stick of dynamite. Tsuna began to wonder why he had such a thing in his possession in the first place. Wasn't it illegal to carry those around? He suddenly felt uncomfortable sitting so close to a dangerous person. However, he didn't want the other to later get attacked by Hibari for having those weapons. "Ah…excuse me." Tsuna said getting up from his seat and looking at the silver haired boy.

"What do you want? Can't you see I'm busy?" The silver haired guy yelled at him.

Tsuna was going to leave it at that but one of his friends had been bitten by Hibari. He didn't want to see anyone else get hurt unless he could stop it. "But…" Tsuna pressed. "You don't understand the danger…"

"Shut up!" The silver haired guy glared at him and Tsuna stiffen out of fear of the other.

"Alright…I wouldn't bother you." Tsuna said giving up. He watched the silver haired boy settled down once Tsuna gave up trying to convince him to get rid of the dynamite. He sighed. Wondering why people were so stubborn. He was turning to leave, when he bumped into someone. When he looked up to see who he had ran into, his face paled. "Hi-Hi-Hibari." He yelled.

"I thought I told you to shut up!" The silver haired boy looked up and his eyes met with Hibari's. "Shit…it's the disciplinary guy." He said under his breath.

Tsuna thought it was funny that he and the dynamite guy were thinking the same thing. Except, his thoughts didn't usually contain profanity. Tsuna watched Hibari as he smirked at him. The single motion placed chills down his spine. "You stay put." The dark haired prefect commanded of him and Tsuna made no moves to defy that order. He knew if he disobeyed his orders there would be consequences. He then watched as Hibari's gaze turned to the silver haired boy, who was already preparing to fight back. Tsuna watched in horror as the guys hands were filled with dynamite and he had already lit it. He watched in slow moment as the dynamite was tossed into the air. At the corner of his eyes, he could see the gleam of silver and as fast as the speed of light, all the dynamite was extinguished by one swipe of his tonfas. "Explosives are prohibited in the halls of Namimori." Hibari said his voice cold as ice. Tsuna could already tell he was losing his patience. "For that…I'll bite you to death, Herbivore."

Tsuna thought that was a very extreme punishment, but the other did try to blow them up. He would be a bit steamed if someone tried to do that to him as well. He watched as the gray haired boy took out another set of dynamite. "If you can do it…" the boy barked. Tsuna sighed, thinking the guy was either brave or crazy or stupid. He was rooting for crazy because everyone on this campus was out of their mind!

Chapter two End

* * *

Author's notes: Chapter two is done. Sorry…chapter one wasn't that interesting…Chapter two isn't that great either but I have to introduce how Tsuna meets these people…then we can get to the fun stuff. Special thanks to those who has reviewed so far. I'll work on the grammar, Hibari's out of characterness (hard to write but Mukuro will be harder) and placing Spanner in (but since Byakuran is in the story. I don't think it's a problem.) Remember show you care by reviewing! Please! I'll cry if you don't!


	3. Tsuna the Innocent

Hungry for Tsuna

A Katekyo Hitman Reborn Fanfiction

Disclaimer: I do not own Kateikyoshi Hitman Reborn, it belongs to Akira Amano. I'm poor.

Tsuna the Innocent Summary: After stopping the fight between Gokudera and Hibari, Tsuna gets weird out by how passionate Gokudera is.

Author's note: I'm glad that everyone likes the Fanfiction so far. I didn't think it would be so popular. This Chapter is also very long because of the content in it. Hibari may be a out of character here as well. I hope you enjoy it. I don't have a lot to say. So Please read and review, Chapter Three.

Chapter Three: Tsuna the Innocent

Tsuna watched in horror as Hibari and the dynamite guy he had met earlier went at it. The library was being utterly destroyed (mostly because of dynamites being blown in every which way). Tsuna wanted to leave so bad but every time, he would try to move he would feel Hibari's murderous eyes on his back paralyzing his whole body or sometimes when he was too busy handling the boy before him, he would yell "Stay…" However, he didn't want to stay, he was in danger of being blown a part. "I knew I should have stayed in my room today." He muttered to himself.

He decided that he was bored of watching and decided to stop things by his own means before the men could initiate an attack, Tsuna jumps in the way. He stood in front of Hibari and his back to the Dynamite boy. "Stop it…isn't it enough?" He said his face looking stern until he saw the anger in Hibari's eyes and then he wanted to hide. He then frowned, trying to hold his ground. He was making a point here "Let him go…he's making a mess of the Library. If this school is really important to you, then you wouldn't let any more harm come to it."

Tsuna didn't like the fact that he was staring into the eyes of death. Looking at Hibari never sat right with him but it needed to be done. He slowly lowered his hands down to his sides seeing that the boy before him was making no attempts to attack the other boy behind him. He was glad he was able to save him from being violently abused by Hibari for the moment. He was sure when his back was turned; Hibari would go on a relentless rampage and no one was stopping him. He then turned to the man behind him. "You should take this time to run…" He suggested to the other.

Hibari frowned. Not understanding why herbivores always stuck together so much. He began to become inpatient with both of them and raised his Tonfa to strike. At this point he didn't care who he struck, he was pissed off and he was going to vent it on one of them. Tsuna watched in shock as Hibari began to strike at both of them but before, the other could land a hit, he felt the dynamite boy grab a hold his hand, pulling him out of the way. His feet followed the silver haired boy as he began running away. It took a few moments before he realized he was being dragged off this crazy person. He was even more baffled at the fact that Hibari wasn't chasing after them but he figured that Hibari wasn't a chaser to begin with. Tsuna hopelessly followed the other boy hoping that the prefect didn't hold a grudge against him later. Well, he could dream, right?

"Thank you for saving me back there…" The boy began as he continued to pull other along. "I was running out of dynamite."

Tsuna frowned. Thinking why did he have so many to begin with? "Hibari was going to kill you and he already beat up one of my other friends. Who knows how many people he'll place into the infirmary this weekend alone?" He said and realized that they had stopped by the dorms. "So what's your name?"

He watched as the silver haired terrorist smiled at him. "Gokudera Hayato."

"Well, I guess… I'll call you Gokudera." He said, seeing that he was making it his habit to name anyone he meets by their last names except Byakuran. "I'm Sawada Tsunayoshi…you can call me Tsu…"

"I'll call you, Tenth!" He cut Tsuna off. "Because I was at my tenth dynamite before you saved me…"

Tsuna thought that it was a weird nickname but it was something that the other picked for him. He was stuck with it. "Okay…well at least it's unique." He said smiling at the other.

He watched Gokudera nod his head in approval. "I know because no one but I will call you that. It's something special between us."

Tsuna nodded but it wasn't really special to him. It was strange in more ways than one. "What were you doing with all that dynamite? Especially in the library?!"

Gokudera smiled at the brunette. "Dynamite is my weapon of choice. I was studying how to make them more effective towards enemies."

"I see…" Tsuna said but he was truly thinking why Gokudera would need a weapon? And why would he need to keep advancing his weapons? He was going to school not to war. Then again, Hibari had tonfas as well and that scene in the library seem pretty close to a war then anything he's seen in his life. This school got weirder the more he stayed.

"Tenth? What was that whole thing between you and Hibari?" Gokudera asked out of curiousity.

The brunette frowned. "I have the same problem that everyone else has with Hibari." He didn't think very much of what Byakuran told him. Hibari only wanted to punish him nothing more.

"Then I will protect you with my life, Tenth!" Tsuna watched as his silver haired friend jolted with a burst of energy. He never met someone so passionate in protecting him much less someone who could actually say those things with a straight face.

Tsuna was a little bewildered by all this attention. "With your life? Isn't that extreme? You should cherish your life a bit more and don't waste it protecting me. I wouldn't want you to risk your life for me…"

"It's okay…if it's the Tenth." Gokudera looked to Tsuna. His eyes looking deep into the other's brown ones as if he was trying to see the other's soul. He meant every word he said. He would put his life on the line for Tsuna because he was one of the few people, who actually gave a damn about him. His family never cared that much about him and for most of his life he felt pretty much alone. However, he quickly found himself attracted to this small boy, who placed his life on the line for him in the face of the infamous Hibari Kyouya. No one had ever done that for him. Even now, Tsuna was so irresistible to him, asking him to think more of his own life rather than wasting it to protect his. But it wouldn't be a waste…if it was for, Tsuna. Gokudera's body led the way as he pulled the smaller boy into an embrace. He smiled as he buried his face into the other's wild hair. "I'll be willing to give my life up for you."

Tsuna blushed fiercely being so caught off guard by the other. He was wondering why the other was saying these things (with a straight face even), and was the other hugging him?! He was definitely in an embrace with Gokudera. He felt really uncomfortable all of a suddenly, maybe because their bodies was a little to close for comfort and he could even hear the other's heartbeat. He frowned, pushing the other away. "I forgot I had something to do…" He said as he began to run. "See ya later…Gokudera!"

"Tenth!" The silver haired boy watched the running figure of Tsuna, wondering if he went a little far but he was still determined to do anything he could for the other.

* * *

_I think I was just molested!_ Tsuna thought to himself. No one had ever hugged him like that beside his mother but even she didn't do that anymore. He was so bewildered by Gokudera's actions that he just wanted to hide and disappear. Tsuna made a dash for his room. He was hoping if he just stayed in his room, he could just avoid everyone. He was starting to get tired of this school and he hadn't even started classes yet. It was still welcome weekend and he already wanted to pack his bags and go home. He would be happy with going back to public school…at least there would be some kind of normalcy. He could go back to being; "No Good Tsuna"…which wasn't so bad compared "Cute Tsuna".

He was so caught up in his own thoughts that he hadn't noticed Yamamoto in front of him. He then predictably crashed into the taller boy, making both of them fall on the floor. Tsuna found himself on top Yamamoto, who pretty much broke his fall but that didn't mean it didn't hurt going down. "Ow…" he said softly as his eyes went up to Yamamoto, realizing who he had crashed into. "Yamamoto! I'm so sorry…I was in a hurry…"

The taller boy laughed at his friend. "It's okay…I guess it's better if you crash into me than anyone else. They wouldn't take it so well."

"Did I hurt you?" Tsuna said frowning at the baseball fanatic. Remembering that just the other day he was attacked by Hibari.He was kind of happy that he crashed into someone normal. Even though they were both in a very compromising position, he knew that the other's thoughts was pure. Tsuna slowly got off the other, thinking it might be uncomfortable to have a guy on top of him. "I hope not…"

"I'm fine…" Yamamoto assured the other but he couldn't explain why he was so sad that the other was no longer so close to him. He laughed at the fact that he actually enjoyed Tsuna being on top of him. He didn't mind it one bit but he assumed that he was becoming a pervert. It was hard not to be around Tsuna, he was so cute and yet the other had no idea how powerful he was. Such a small thing like asking if he was hurt lifted his heart in so many ways. "Are you alright? You were the one who crashed into me."

The brunette nodded. "Thanks to you, I'm fine. I was looking you earlier today…but I couldn't find you."

The baseball fanatic was a bit taken back that the other was looking for him. It made him really happy and he could help smiling. "I was at the baseball field. I was practicing. I'm thinking of joining this school baseball team, so I wanted to make sure my skills were sharp before try-outs."

"Yamamoto, you play baseball? That's so cool." Tsuna smiled. He was happy that Yamamoto was normal. "I hope you get in the team. Do your best okay?"

"Of course. Why don't you come to my try-outs? I would like if you came…for support." Yamamoto said as he began to get up off the floor.

"You want me to come to your try-outs?" Tsuna questioned, pointing to himself as if he wasn't sure who he was referring to. Even though, they were the only ones in the hallway.

"Of course…" Yamamoto chuckled. "Who else would I ask?"

"Well…" Tsuna said hesitating a bit. Yamamoto found himself frowning since Tsuna didn't give him a quick reply. He was starting to think that the other didn't want to come. He was about to tell the other to forget about it until he saw Tsuna's smiley face. His heart stopped. "Of course I'll come. Yamamoto is my friend after all."

"Tsuna…" Yamamoto felt himself reach out for the smaller boy. His hand was about to cup the other face but before he worried the moment, he was able to realize what he was doing. Instead of touching the other's face, he settles for ruffling Tsuna's hair. And then he wished he hadn't because although the other's hair looked wild…it was actually pretty soft and….fun to touch. "That's great. I'm glad you can come. It's on Thursday, okay?"

Tsuna smiled as the other ruffled his hair. It was something he could deal with. Something normal. "I won't forget." The other said softly removing the other's hand from his hair. He then started to walk to his room. "I'll see you later."

Yamamoto smiled as the other walked back to his room. "Bye…Tsuna." He then goes on his way. However, there was someone blocking his path. Yamamoto looked to the silver haired boy in front of him. He was a little taken back by the way he was glaring at him. "Well…hello." He said nervously laughing.

"What's your relationship with the Tenth?!" Gokudera demanded.

"The tenth?" Yamamoto said frowning at the name, and then he placed two and two together. "Do you mean, Tsuna?"

Gokudera found himself getting angrier. "You're on first name basis with him?!"

Yamamoto laughed, that other's expressions was really entertaining. "Not really. I call him Tsuna but he's more formal."

Gokudera was happy to hear that he was kind of on the same level with this guy. Tsuna referred to him by last name as well. "I wouldn't lose the Tenth to you." He declared.

"So Tsuna got you too. I should have thought as much…Tsuna is very cute." Yamamoto couldn't help but laugh but soon the laughter died and the baseball fanatic showed Gokudera a more serious face. This was rare for Yamamoto. "But I wouldn't lose to you either."

Gokudera growled. He wasn't expecting the other to back down but he didn't think this person was as serious as he was when it came to Tsuna. He decided to leave, since he said what he had to.

"Do your best!" Yamamoto called to the retreating Gokudera. He laughed as he got somewhat of a harsh reply back.

* * *

After Hibari finished doing his rounds the dorms, he headed to the lounge. There seem to be nothing disorderly going on and his other committee members could probably hold down the fault while he took a nap. However, he was still infuriated with that weakling by the name of Tsunayoshi Sawada. He was a herbivore just like the many other students here and on top of that he seemed to get away with barking at him as if he was an equal to him. Hibari was even surprised at himself that he hadn't hit the herbivore the other day at the train station. He really wanted to; he had insulted his school and that was like a stab in the back to Hibari. He felt he didn't understand himself anymore. His actions toward Sawada were a bit out of character and he began to think he was getting soft. His thoughts flashbacked to the other night, when he was about to strike Sawada but the pathetic boy fainted before he could.

Flashback

Hibari's arm stopped in mid-strike as he realized that the boy had fainted. He really was pathetic but he was still angry about not being able to punish him for badmouthing his school. One of Hibari's rules (since he had very few rules) was not fight a man once he's down. So Hibari couldn't attack Tsuna anymore. He stared down at the motionless boy, who was tangled up the luggage. For some odd reason, Tsuna reminded him of a small bird in a nest. Tsuna seemed a lot like his pet, Hibird. Just like Hibird, he was small and fragile. He then closed his eyes, annoyed at what he was thinking. Was he thinking that his bird was like this boy? Impossible!

He frowned, figuring that he should leave the herbivores where they laid. They no longer posed a threat and the rest of his committee would be there any moment to take care of them. He was about to walk off, when he heard a murmur from the fallen boy. "Namimori…is a wonderful place." He stopped in his tracks when he heard this and he was unable to leave the other behind after that. He turned back to the other, rescuing the other from straps that held him down. He picks up the other in his arms and carries him back to school.

Namimori All Boys School

Once Hibari got back to school, he was greeted by Byakuran. The white haired student president was totally amused by the sight that he saw before him. Hibari didn't show any sign of embarrassment as he carried the boy his room and an interested Byakuran on his heels.

"Kyo-chan…what is that in your arms?" The president inquired, watching the prefect set Tsuna down on his bed. He watched slowly as the prefect turned to him.

"A herbivore." Hibari answered.

Byakuran looked to the sleeping face of Tsuna. He then looked at Hibari with a grin. "Awww…is Kyo-chan finally warming up to the human race? See? People aren't that bad. You just have to know how to use them." He said this in his sing-song voice, even as the Hibari glared at him. This was an interesting development. Hibari Kyouya was a loner, through and through. It was rare to see him interacting with people besides when he's about to attack them. "Is Kyo-chan having a slumber party? I want to come."

Hibari frowned, not thinking the student president was funny at all. However, he was his 'superior'. Hibari rarely called people a carnivore…his equal and Byakuran was one of those few. The prefect knew the president for a long time to learn that his playful attitude was a mere façade. The real Byakuran was more calculating and cold. "No…" The prefect said.

Byakuran smiled. "Then why is he in your room and not in the infirmary if he's injured? It seems kind of fishy to me."

"Because it's none of your business what I do." Hibari spat back.

"Oh, Kyo-chan, you say the nicest things but I think it's because you don't know the answer to that question yourself." Byakuran said with an all knowing smile as he saw that he got a reaction from the other. Unlike most people, he could read Hibari like a book and even now when the other was the most confused, it still hold true. His smile became smug as he let himself out of Hibari's room. "Be a good boy, Kyo-chan."

Hibari watches as the door closed behind the student president. He really wanted to hurt Byakuran but he was right. He didn't know why he was doing this but at the same time, he didn't see anything wrong with it. He turned from the door to Tsuna. The herbivore was still sleeping and it didn't seem like he was getting up anytime soon. He was kind of disappointed at himself that he was engulfed in the other rapture, just because he had murmur that "Namimori was a wonderful place." He knew the other was probably only repeating what he had said earlier and it was only a coincidence that he happened to mumble it when he was about to leave him. However, some part of him wished that those words that other spoken was actually good-natured.

His dark eyes stared into the other's sleeping face. There were a lot of things he could describe the other as and most of them weren't nice. Nonetheless, the prefect was drawn to the innocent of this herbivore and so he found himself clinging to it. He frowned as he found himself lying next to the other, still questioning his own motives. But, things did seem much quieter next to the boy.

Flashback end

He sighed; he still couldn't figure it out. However, he was sleepy now and just wanted to drift away from reality and the rest of the stupid herbivores that plagued that realm. He allowed his eyes to close and tried to get some rest.

"Kufufu. Should you really be sleeping on the job when there's people like me lurking around. Hibari, I think you're slacking." The blue and red eyed student leaning out of an open window. He then stepped into the room, looking at the dark figure of Hibari.

The prefect's eyes opened at the sound of the voice. Hibari lifted his head up to meet the other's heterochromatic gaze. He forgot all about his nemesis, Rokudo Mukuro, whose number one hobby was to annoy him. Hibari allowed his glare to say all the words he wished to voice to the other.

"What? Not happy to see me? That's too bad because I enjoy seeing you." Mukuro told the prefect. He wasn't afraid of Hibari at all. He had beaten the prefect once but he knew that Hibari would never allow that to happen again. Plus, when it happened, he had been cheating anyway. He believed that Hibari was even more furious with his own win because he had cheated. After all, the good guy is supposed to overcome any obstacles, no matter what odds were against him. The hero must always come on top or else the universe may implode. Even if Hibari was a scary guy…he was ultimately 'the goodytwoshoes'. To show the other's his boldness, he took a seat right in front of Hibari. "But I heard you've been pretty busy. Since when does Hibari Kyouya mess with freshmen?" Mukuro asked.

"I don't." Hibari said looking indifferently.

"Kufufu. That's not what Byakuran told me. He says you're going all berserk over some freshmen. He must be good looking."

"…." Hibari decided not to say anything. He knew Mukuro long enough to know when to be silent. However, the silence didn't justify him anyway; Mukuro still got what he wanted in the end.

"I think I want to meet this person, then. He sounds interesting." Mukuro grinned, leaning on his arm as he watched Hibari. The other's face was priceless. "I already know his name, Sawada Tsunayoshi, right? You can't hide him from me forever. This school is too big to protect one person all the time."

"I don't care what you do with the herbivore." Hibari said he was angry that such a weakling could catch his interest. Maybe if he was done away with, he wouldn't care anymore.

"Kufufu. I see. Did he break your heart already? Poor Hibari…a victim of unrequited love, I never thought I would see the day." He smiled.

The mischievous pineapple headed male grinned at Hibari as he made no move to correct him or disagree with him. The prefect just glared at him. Mukuro had to admit if he wasn't used to the glare, he would have been intimidated but he wasn't.

Hibari really hated this guy and he even hated Byakuran's big mouth too. "Get out…" He told Mukuro coldly. "Or I'll bite you to death."

"Perhaps I shall. You seem to be in a bad mood." He said, getting up and walks over to the window. He then looked over his shoulder to look at the prefect. "Be careful or your prince might be taken away." He stepped through the window and disappeared.

Chapter Three End

Authors' Note: Sorry I had to come up with some BS of Gokudera's nickname for Tsuna. Because it's an alternative reality…I don't think the mafia will be in the fic. Maybe a mention or something but nothing more than that. I am considering putting in Reborn but not sure how he will fit. I hope you liked the fanfic; it was fun and hard to write (Mukuro and Hibari part). Also, if you haven't noticed I'm obsessed with Hibari Kyouya. He's cool but I also like Mukuro too. I wonder what they have in store for Tsuna. Thanks again for those who reviewed chapter two and chapter one…your encouragement keeps this fanfiction going. I guess I should also thank the hits as well since this fanfic made over 500 hits in two days. Also always show you care by reviewing.


	4. Tsuna the Brave

Hungry for Tsuna

A Kateikyoshi Hitman Reborn Fanfiction

Disclaimer: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn…Akira Amano does.

Author's Note: This is a very lengthy chapter. I can say that because it's over five thousands words. However, I wanted to make the chapters better as I go and I was able to do that because of you all, who gave me suggestions to make the story better and as well as encouragement to keep me going. Hopefully, I improved in this chapter but I know I'm not a bad writer…I'm just unable to see my own mistakes. I usually have numbers of people checking my work when it comes to school but in the case of the fanfiction, I don't have anyone (especially since my friends don't like the show. I know! It's an injustice! Even more so because they saw the first few episodes and said it was boring and stopped watching.) plus, I'm far away from home. Currently in Japan…and the fanfic was to help soothe some homesickness. Wow, I have a lot to say this time around. Anyway, without further delay of my blabbering please read and review Chapter Four of Hungry for Tsuna: Tsuna the Brave.

Tsuna the Brave summary: Byakuran is scheming something and Tsuna stands up to Hibari but this time he doesn't get away…

Chapter four: Tsuna the Brave

"Oh dear…" Byakuran said seeing the massive damage that the library was in. The student president was baffled by the destruction, thinking that perhaps someone let lose a tornado in their precious library. His blue eyes fell over the books, papers and bits of wood that were shattered everywhere. Doors were hanging off their hinges. All of the windows had their glass broken and it's the remnants were all over the floor. There were even a few large holes that were created on the wooden floor. If you looked closely, you could see the scorched marks around them edges where the floor had been punctured. Bookshelves, couches, portraits and chairs had been overturned by some great force. The once white walls were now covered in some kind of black powder and in some places…there wasn't a wall at all. They would have to re-do some of the floors, the walls and the bookshelves. They would even have to order most of the books , since most of them were scorched or now ashes. They would even have to get new furniture because no student would want to sit comfortably in a taped up loveseat. This was a big mess. The white haired male looked to the person next to him. "Are you sure you didn't do it, Xan-chan? Looks like your handiwork."

The other was probably only a few inches taller than Byakuran. However, what made him seem even taller was how intimidating he looked. His hair was dark and the top part of was untamed. The rest of hair had been shaved off to given him a sort of cleaner look. There were long feathers were attached to the end of his hair, which Byakuran made fun of a lot. His skin was tan color which matched his very scary red eyes. This person also had a few scars on his face which made him even more threatening. Byakuran had heard that he had received them from an accident. The story went that he was trapped in ice and the ice was what scarred him. He also had these scars on other places of his body. This unapproachable man went by the name of Xanxus but his appearance was nothing compared to his anger. The Vice President growled at the other. "You talk too damn much…"

"In any case…" Byakuran said smiling. "The library will have to be closed. The students can't use this. Such a shame and at the beginning of the semester too."

"You should be more concern about the fucking idiot who did this." Xanxus said, scratching his head, aggravated. His president was so irritating. He was always worrying about useless things. They needed to focus on capturing the culprit and making sure he paid for what he did. What happened in this library could be easily considered as vandalism, which went against the school's code of conduct.

The student president laughed. "Oh let it go, Xan-chan. The person who probably did it just got a little carried away. However, I still think you were the one who did it." With that Byakuran turned away from the wreckage, he had seen all he needed to see. There was no use gawking over the damage. He knew this mess would not be magically fixed just by looking. He made his way out of the library with Xanxus following after him. "Boys will be boys you know. Can't punish people for being themselves, right?"

At the moment, Xanxus was wondering who the fucking dumbass that elected Byakuran president. If he ever found him, he'll make sure he knows the misery of listening to this person from day in and out. Was this whole thing a game to him?! He felt that one day the school would burn down and there would be Byakuran on the sidelines saying, "Oh well…" Did this guy really care about the school at all? He didn't know. However, the only thing he admired about Byakuran was his strength and even he didn't want to mess with that. But other than that, he was still sore about losing presidency because of this person. "You're a fucking disgrace as a leader."

"Maybe but at least there's never a dull moment." He said looking at the other slyly. He wasn't here to lead. He liked chaos and he was probably more up for making the school crash and burn rather then help raise it up. Chaos was fun but then there were people who liked order. Order just takes the fun out of everything. He could already tell that this year will be a lot of fun. The destruction of the library was proof that he wouldn't be bored at all. He then escaped his own thoughts. "But this does have to be reported to the Principal. He's going to be furious…he spent so much money on that Library. I feel sorry for the poor soul that has to give the bad news to him." He looks to Xanxus with a mischievous grin. "Break a leg, Xan-chan!"

"I'm not your fucking secretary, Byakuran. How about you do your own shit for once, fucking scum!" Xanxus glared at Byakuran. He really disliked this guy. The title of president was only in name when it came to this guy; Byakuran didn't act much like a president. He acted more like a child, who would rather play than work. It was the same shit as last year, when Byakuran was vice president.

Byakuran skipped off with a big grin on his face. He placed his hands over his ears making it seem, that he didn't want to hear what other was saying. "I'm not listening…I'm not listening." He said as he teased the other. He got even happier when he heard the other barking and cursing in the background. Drifting out of the seriousness of the situation before him, Byakuran slipped into his own thoughts. His blue eyes darken just a bit as he replayed with his vice president had said to him. _Fucking Scum!_ Byakuran let that played in his head over and over again. It angered him so much. He was used to the other's insults but that one struck a core. "I wonder…who really is the scum, Xanxus." He said to himself, as he evaded the furious Xanxus that was chasing after him.

Meanwhile,

Tsuna looked at himself in the mirror with his new school uniform on. It was usually mandatory for students to wear uniforms at most schools in Japan. So Tsuna had gotten pretty used to placing on a school uniform. The Namimori All Boys School was no different to this concept. Everyone had to wear a school uniform or they would be breaking the school's code of conduct. His uniform consisted of a white shirt, a black sweater vest, a blue and silver striped tie and black trousers. The sweater vest had the Namimori crest on the upper right side of his chest. The same crest was positioned on the blazer and sweater that would be wore when the weather got colder. The crest was simply the Namimori initials, N and M and they were colored gold and styled in old English lettering.

He sighed at himself in the mirror. The school uniform wasn't the problem, it was the boy wearing it that he had a problem with. "What is it about me that everyone finds so cute?" He said to himself, not being able to figure it out. What made him so damn irresistible?! He looked like an average teenage boy, his hair was always messy, he was a major klutz and did he mention that he was a scaredy cat? He didn't see any of those traits as cute…actually he thought them to be pretty pathetic.

He pulled away from the mirror, knowing he wouldn't find any answers by just staring into the glass. Picking up his school bag and he headed out of his room. He remembered that Yamamoto told him that all the freshmen had to report to the music hall to receive their class assignments. Though, that wasn't until nine. He could probably get some breakfast if he hurried. Tsuna quickly walked down the long hallway. Namimori was a small school; there were only five hundred students who attended. So it was easy to stuff all the students into one building, The Sky Dormitory. The Sky Dorm had seven floors and on each of these floors were eighty single rooms. He heard that the top floor of the dormitory was the best place to live and the rooms were usually given to those involved in the student council, teachers and other faculty members. So it was no surprise that Hibari's room was located there. The other floors just housed regular students.

The thing that made the seventh floor of the Sky dorm special was the skylight. The seventh floor's ceiling was made out of glass. So it was easy to get a good view of the starts at the night. He hadn't noticed this when he was fleeing from Hibari's room two days ago but he wished he took the minute to look at it. Tsuna guessed that was how the dorm received its name. The dormitory was a well equipped housing facility, since it tried to cover all of the students needs. There was as least two shower rooms on each floor, lounges for student to study or hang out, a mini gym and even a small infirmary. Tsuna had never lived in a dormitory before but he was pretty impressed by what he saw. He didn't think dorms were this nice.

Tsuna left the Sky dorm and headed for the cafeteria. The cafeteria was very close to the dorms and other buildings. So it wasn't a hassle to get from point A to point B. The cafeteria was white matching the color scheme of the surrounding buildings on campus. It was a rounded shaped building and from outside, you should see the round windows, showing the other students enjoying their meal. The building was surrounded by a garden of lily of valley and other flowers that he didn't know grew in Japan. The design of the cafeteria was fairly simple but everyone could easily recognize it. The brunette began his sprint to the cafeteria but before he could get any closer to the building he was stopped by a familiar voice. "Tsu-chan!!"

Tsuna stopped in his tracks and turned to the direction the voice had come from. His eyes fell on the familiar spiky haired boy that he had met in the shower room two days before. He noticed that the other was wearing a uniform identical to his, meaning that he went to this school. Tsuna was suspicious that he might have been talking to an intruder and seeing the other's uniform confirmed that he was safe. Maybe. He watched as boy by the name of Byakuran raced up to him. The other still had the same smile on his face and Tsuna began to wonder if the other always smiled? Nonetheless, Tsuna greeted him . "Good morning, Byakuran-san."

"Good morning. It's nice seeing you again, Tsu-chan. I missed you." He said sweetly to the other. He was even more amused by the slight blush that crept up the other's face at his last words. Even though the other was embarrassed by his words, he still managed to hold direct eye contact with him. It had been the same when he had first met Tsuna, his eyes never wavered from his. It kind of made him special, that his eyes were only on him. His smiled grew even more, thinking he was falling for the other all over again.

Tsuna was flustered by the other's words. "But it wasn't that long ago."

"It was long enough for me. I was hoping that I'll get to see Tsu-chan really soon. Too bad…" Byakuran reached out towards Tsuna. His hand falling on to the others tie and he straightened it, slowly sliding his hands down the fabric. "He has his clothes on this time."

_There he goes again!_ Tsuna thought to himself. It seemed that he managed to make a friend, whose knack was to say perverted things. And these perverted things are always directed towards him. Frowning at Byakuran, he needed to know why he was the subject of his dirty talk. "Byakuran-san, why do you say such embarrassing things?"

"Does it bother you, Tsu-chan?" He asked the other but before he could answer the student president replied. "Oh well…you're just going to have to deal with it because I don't plan to stop anytime soon. It's so worth it, if I can see you blushing cheeks." Watching as the other continued to frown and also blush made him suppress a laugh. Tsuna made some fascinating expressions. Still at the same time it was rather cute. "But I haven't been the only one to say such things to you. Since, Tsu-chan is becoming more and more popular."

Silence conquered Tsuna. It was true. He remembered yesterday when Gokudera said that he would risk his life for him. He guessed that Gokudera's comments didn't bother him that much because the terrorist's comments seemed more heartfelt than the student president's, who only seemed to say such things to get a reaction out of him. He felt popular wasn't the correct word to describe his situation. He felt unfortunate or unlucky was better suited.

As is if he could read the other's thoughts, he continued. "Weren't you tired of being No Good Tsuna? Wasn't this what you wanted?" Byakuran said cryptically. Tsuna eyes widen at hearing the other speak those words to him. He had wanted that before he came to this school but he was more surprised by the other calling him by his old nickname. It bothered him more that Byakuran knew about him being called No Good Tsuna in the past. He was also surprised by the last thing the other said, did he really wanted this? He tried to pull away from his thoughts.

"H-how?" Tsuna stammered as he watched the boy before him just smile. "How do you know about that?"

"That's a secret but, Tsu-chan doesn't listen to his heart very often…does he?" Lifting his hands from Tsuna's tie, he stuffed his hands into his trouser pockets. A smile still donning the student president's lips as if they had not been talking about anything significant instead about a topic that was rather humorous."You should hurry up and get breakfast. Tsu-chan may need his strength today."

The tawny eyes of the brunette showed a light of recollection, he forgot all about getting breakfast. The cafeteria was about to close for the morning and if he didn't make haste, he would have to wait till lunch to eat. "I forgot! Uh…Bye, Byakuran-san." He told the other, immediately heading towards the white building trying to reach it in time.

Byakuran waved at Tsuna's back and after a few moments, he drops his hand. His smile deepen as he felt someone coming up behind him. "Tsu-chan is such a good boy, isn't he?" The blue eyes shifted their attention away from the disappearing figure of Tsuna and fell on the prefect. He inspected the other's face and although Hibari didn't have many expressions, he could always tell when the other was upset. Turning his body to face the other he gave him, his undivided attention. "You look like you have a bone to pick with me, Kyou-chan?"

The disciplinary committee president stopped a few feet from Byakuran. After all, he didn't like to get too close to people. He then lifted up one of his tonfas, threatening to use it on the white haired student president. "I came to shut that mouth of yours."

His blue eyes perked with inquisitiveness. Even with Hibari standing before him, giving him his most menacing glare, he couldn't help but laugh. "Are you mad that I told _him_ about, Tsu-chan?"

Hibari decided to let that side. The reason why he came to meet Byakuran was not to discuss _that_ herbivore but another matter. "You've brought _him_ back here." Hibari eyes narrowed, zeroing in on Byakuran's beaming face. You couldn't tell by Hibari's stoic face but he really was tempted to break the other's jaw. "What do you expect to accomplish?"

"I wonder…." Byakuran's eyes averted away from Hibari's. His eyes decided to focus on the landscaping of the campus instead. It was so nice and quiet. Everyone did what they were supposed to because no one dared to go against Hibari and his "discipline". Except Mukuro of course. Namimori was a nice school but it was boring! There was no excitement at all. He felt almost like a zombie of some kind. "I'm selfish. I want fun and you're uber clean Namimori just doesn't do it for me. I guess you can call me your enemy, Kyou-chan."

Having being used to the other's complaints about his beloved school being too peaceful for his liking, the prefect wasn't fazed at all. He folded his arms over his chest, his face as emotionless as ever. "You sound more like a brat to me."

Glancing at Hibari and he snickered. "That's not the first time I've heard that."

"The herbivore…" Hibari dared to ask.

Byakuran's famous all knowing smiled appeared on his lips. No words needed to be spoken for Hibari to understand what the president was trying to communicate to him. In other words, Tsunayoshi Sawada was important to Byakuran and that was all the information he was willing to provide. The student president looked away from Hibari and his attention going towards the horizon, where he saw the fiery figure of Xanxus. It took him a while but his vice president had finally caught up to him. He had thought that other had given up but if Xanxus wanted to chase him…then he would continue to play with him. It probably was making the individual angrier but who didn't love a livid Xanxus?

Byakuran chuckled. "Looks like Xan-chan is coming. He's angry at me again because he doesn't want to succumb to me. Poor Xan-chan, when will he learn? Well…it was nice talking to you, Kyou-chan. We should do this more often." Walking in the opposite of the irate Xanxus, he slowly made his escape. The president abruptly stopped in his tracks, remembering something. Gazing at Hibari, he asked. "You know who destroyed the library, right?"

"I don't take orders." The prefect said flatly.

Byakuran shrugged his shoulders. "It's not an order. It's something I know, Kyou-chan, will do anyway."

* * *

"Tenth!" Was the first thing he heard as soon as he entered the cafeteria. Tsuna cringed hearing the odd nickname and knew automatically who called him. His eyes turned to the silver haired terrorist that he had meet the other day. Growing even more nervous as the other waved to him wildly, trying to gain his attention. _I can see you! _Thinking to himself as he placed on a happy smile, although he wasn't happy to see the other at all.

He observed the silver haired terrorist as he walked over to him. While Tsuna's uniform looked neat, Gokudera's was looser. His shirt was out of his trousers and the sleeves were rolled up. His tie was undone and hanged loosely around his neck. The top of his shirt was opened enough, that you could see the red shirt peeking underneath. The other's shoulder length hair was pulled back into a ponytail. Tsuna has to admit that even if the other looked sloppy, it seem to suit him and made him seem a bit cooler.

"G-good Morning , Gokudera-san." He smiled nervously, kind of afraid that the other might attack him or something.

Gokudera sensed Tsuna's uneasiness around him. He frowned knowing he messed up the other day. "Tenth please forgive me." He said as he went down on one knee with his head bowed. "I'm sorry."

Instantly, Tsuna's hands went up trying to stop the other from doing something embarrassing. Okay…something even more embarrassing. "What are you apologizing for?! And if you're going to apologize don't be so dramatic! Please get up…"

Gokudera looked up at Tsuna as he protested. He listened to him, getting off the floor. "I guess…I got carried away."

_Tell me about it!_ Tsuna thought the words he would never say out loud. Followed by looking at the silver haired terrorist, he began to bring up the topic that Gokudera was apologizing for. "Its okay, Gokudera-san. I was just surprised." Gaining back his smile, he knew that Gokudera was only showing his appreciation. He really didn't think badly of the other. "I see that you get carried away, it was probably the same as yesterday. You probably didn't mean anything by it, right?"

He listened to his beloved tenth. The other was very understanding…although he practically missed the idea that he could actually like him. He figured that the tenth was that kind of person that would come to that conclusion anyway. He already saw how naïve he was. And that made Gokudera want to protect him even more. "Y-yeah. That was just my hug of friendship. I got a little carried away, Tenth. Sorry about that." Having no idea where that lie came from, he decided it was best to leave it at that. It was something that his naïve tenth could potentially understand.

"Hug of friendship? So that's what it was!" Showing his slight stupidity and how gullible he was. Tsuna was totally convinced that what transpired yesterday was merely an act of friendship. "Gokudera must have really wanted to be my friend."

"Yeah…I do that to all my friends." He continued to lie. "Are you getting breakfast?"

Tsuna turned away from Gokudera and gravely looked where the food was being distributed and found it closed. "Oh no…" Once again he was distracted from his task and now he would not get to eat breakfast at all. "It's closed."

"Don't worry, Tenth. I got you covered." His silver haired associate assured him. He watched as his Tenth's eyes brighten up showing the light of hope within them. He led the other to where he had been sitting. He watched as the other had a whole tray of food for him. The reason that Gokudera took so much food was because he didn't know what the Tenth liked, so he got as many options as possible. He even had five types of juices for Tsuna to choose from. "Here you go, Tenth."

Tsuna frowned wondering why the other went out of his way for him. "Gokudera-san…this is too much. I can't eat all of this."

"Whatever the tenth doesn't eat, I'll finish it." Giving his friend the thumbs up

Worried for his friend, Tsuna asked. "But wouldn't you get a stomachache?"

"It'll be worth it for the tenth." Gokudera smiled, meaning every word he said.

_There he goes spewing those passionate words again._ He thought but he was glad that he had a friend that thought so much about him. He was kind of wondering how Gokudera knew that he would be late for breakfast but he didn't pursue the question any further. "Thank you, Gokudera-san. You're the greatest. Itadakimasu. " He said as he dug in.

* * *

Today was a very uneventful day. When he had woken up this morning he had expected his first day classes to be like his welcome weekend. However it wasn't like that at all. He figured that everyone was concentrating on classes and trying figure out where they belonged. Tsuna was luckily in the same class as Gokudera and Yamamoto. So they were pretty much together for the whole day. Tsuna liked both of his friends. Yamamoto was just fun to be with and he was always carefree. The only thing he didn't like about Yamamoto was how dense he could be sometimes (Look who's talking). At first, he didn't like Gokudera because he was always declaring passionate things but the other really seem to look out for him. The terrorist was still a little too enthusiastic for his taste but beggars couldn't be choosers. He did notice that they didn't seem to like each other very much. Well Gokudera didn't seem to like Yamamoto. He wondered why, Yamamoto was a fun guy to be around.

Now Tsuna was back in his room doing his homework. It seemed that Yamamoto and himself was at the bottom of the class and if he didn't shape up he would have to go to tutoring. He had heard that the tutor at the school was very mean and liked to abuse his students. He didn't want to go through that. In spite of his drive to do better, when he looked into his textbook nothing made sense. It was as if he was reading totally different language entirely. After forcing himself to understand the complicated math of algebra, he gave up. He just didn't get it. He couldn't even figure out math back then when they didn't mix numbers with letters, symbols and other stuff. Deciding that he should give the math a rest for now, he decided to venture outside to get something to drink.

The Sky dorm had numerous vending machines much like the one he saw in his hometown. As he walked down the hallway, he heard weird sounds coming from the other end of the hallway. Because Tsuna was not too bright and curious, he went to investigate. Drawing closer, Tsuna began to make up most of the sounds that he was hearing. It sounded as if someone was hitting something very hard and he could even here grunts and groans of pains. Tsuna stiffen thinking he had made a bad decision by investigating and opted for turning around acting like he hadn't heard anything at all. Turning on his heels, he froze once again hearing a familiar voice.

"Bastard!" Tsuna's eyes widen knowing that voice. Although, it was strained…he knew the voice belonged to Gokudera. Without hesitating, he went forward to confirm his suspicions. His eyes fell on two figures, one he confirmed as Gokudera…who was lying on the floor and the other figure was Hibari. It didn't take a while for Tsuna to figure out that Hibari had beaten Gokudera to a pulp.

"Gokudera-san…" He said making them know of his presence. Hibari reacted by turning around toward him but Gokudera was too badly hurt to respond to his voice. And it seemed that the other had passed out from the beating. He stared at his fallen friend, Hibari had not went easily on him. He could see the bruises, cuts and gashes on the other's pale skin. It was terrible. He remembered when the prefect had attack Yamamoto. Even the baseball fanatic still had wounds that had not yet healed for the other's brutal attack. Tsuna looked to the impassive face of Hibari. "Why?"

"He got his punishment for disrupting the Discipline of this school." The prefect shrugged his shoulders.

Tsuna saw the blood dripping from the other's Tonfas. Gokudera's blood. It kind of made him feel sick but he managed to hold back his queasiness just a bit. Gokudera had destroyed the library but he was only defending himself. He didn't care for Hibari's idea of discipline. It was too cruel for his liking. It was immoral. "What you're doing is not right? It's not right to punish people by beating them up."

He observed the other's look on his face. He was really upset that he had bitten his friend. The prefect didn't let it bother him though; a lot of people have been upset at him for what he did. He assumed that herbivores felt that beating up on the weak was unscrupulous. "And talking things out the herbivore way is the right way? That does not work in this world. People only listen when it's beaten into them."

"Talking things out does not solve everything but beating ideas into people is tyrannical." Tsuna frowned, was he really arguing with Hibari right now? He doubted he could change the other's morals in a second but he wanted the other to know it was unjust. He wasn't sure many had came up to Hibari and told him this but he felt the other needed to hear it.

"Be quiet." Hibari said getting annoyed with him, he wasn't going to stand here arguing with this person of what was right and wrong. Those ethics never mattered to him. He did things according to his own will. His discipline was a result of his own sense of morality and no one could persuade him otherwise that what he was doing was "wrong" because it was his way. His way was neither right nor wrong; it was just whatever he made it out to be. He didn't want to hear anymore. He didn't feel up to explaining himself to a herbivore. "Or I'll bite you to death,"

Ignoring the warning that the other was giving him, he decided to hold his ground. He didn't want to see any more of his friends hurt by the other's idea of justice. It wasn't fair and he will never accept that. "Then I guess you'll have to hit me." The brunette said frowning. "Since talking is not going to work. I won't understand otherwise."

The prefect was expecting the other to go away silently with his tail between his legs but he was surprised by how strong the other was standing his ground. Being so used to seeing the other run away in terror, he hadn't expected this in a long shot. He wondered if the other had lost his mind or was he really stupidly saying these things to him. He glared at the brunette seeing for himself that he meant what he said. His brown eyes were glowing with some sort of fire. Was he angry? Was he so bother by his beliefs? This interested Hibari but he was also angry that the other was defying him. Hibari decided to act. He stepped over Gokudera's fallen body and rushed Tsuna.

Tsuna watched as Hibari flew towards him. Seeing the other come at him, he began to panic. Thinking perhaps he should have listened to Hibari, when he told him be quiet. He watched as the prefect struck him hard with his tonfas. Tsuna gasped as he was sent into a nearby wall, which just placed salt to his already wounded body. He slid down to the ground as pain surged up and down his body. The place where Hibari had hit him was burning as if it was on fire. He frowned as he watched the prefect walk over to him, reaching down and grabbing him by his collar with one hand. Tsuna cringed as the other jerked him upwards. Tsuna hurt so badly that he was unable to move or even try to defend himself.

"Do you understand now or do I have to bite you some more?" Hibari said as he used his other hand to lift his tonfa up for Tsuna to see.

Tsuna looked into the prefect's eyes. "No…I don't understand." He really didn't understand Hibari, he doubt anyone could. He thought the other was insane and needed to be place in some kind of straight jacket. However, he might be making an assumption or delirious from the pain he was feeling but Hibari didn't seem so tough to him. He had been gentle to him. Even though, he went down with one hit, Hibari could have continued to beat up on him but he didn't. He was sure the other could have hit him harder but he didn't. "But…it seems you want to make yourself out to be the villain…when your really aren't?"

Hibari frowned, he couldn't help it. Why was it that Tsuna never did what he was supposed to? He was getting annoyed with this stupid herbivore but at the same time, the other did pull a few of his heart strings. He didn't even know he had a heart to pull strings from. Was Tsuna right about his reasons for protecting Namimori? No…he didn't know anything about him. He knew nothing at all.

"You're annoying." The prefect said as he lifted the other up more. Tsuna closed his eyes waiting for another blow to be inflicted on to him. Instead, he felt something warm touch against his lips. He then opened his eyes realizing that Hibari was kissing him! _Hiiieee!! _Tsuna said in his mind.

Chapter Four End

* * *

Omake - Thought it would be funny after the events of the chapter.

Byakuran: **frowning at Hibari **you hit Tsu-chan! That wasn't in the script! You were only supposed to attack Gokudera! Now no one would read this fanfiction again!

Hibari: It was in _my_ script. Plus, the herbivore wanted me to hit him.

Byakuran: You weren't suppose to kiss him either

Hibari: I do what I want

Byakuran: **smirks** you liked it didn't you, Kyo-chan?

Hibari: …………….be quiet

Byakuran: So you can hit and kiss me too? Is that what you do to your victims?

Hibari: **death glare** I'll bite you to death

Byakuran: Shou-chan…rescue me!

Irie Shouichi: **sweat drops **Leave me out of your mess.

Omake end

* * *

Author's note: No Mukuro this time…I'm such a tease. I hope you people liked this chapter as much as the others. I'm sorry for the slight delay, since I was considering all the suggestions that people made to help my story along. So, the chapter wasn't released as rapidly as the others. However, you get good piece of material. Hopefully, Hibari wasn't too out of character. I've been reading over the manga to try to get a grip of his character and I think I fell in love with him all over again. As well as all the characters…I think that's why I like the show so much. Show you care by reviewing my work and critiques are welcome. As long as they have good intentions behind them. So please keep them coming.


	5. Tsuna the Popular

Hungry for Tsuna

A Kateikyoshi Hitman Reborn Fanfiction

Disclaimer: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn…Akira Amano does and I'm glad she created it!

Author's note: Thank you for the words of encouragement in your chapter four reviews. I hope that I continued to make you happy and entertained. However, I think this chapter may have fallen a little short from the others. Kind of sick at the moment Well, I think this is a bit drawn out. You'll see but I felt that it was important so I kept going. I think there's a lot of dialogue but...hmmm…I'll find out what you all think in your reviews, right? Without further delay, Chapter five of Hungry for Tsuna: Tsuna the Popular.

Tsuna the Popular summary: With the help of Yamamoto and a new acquaintance, Gokudera gets treatment for his wounds and Tsuna gets a visit from the black knight…

Chapter Five: Tsuna the Popular

Tsuna just couldn't wrap his head around it. The head of the disciplinary committee was kissing him?! On top of that his first kiss was stolen from a guy! He was helpless to Hibari, who at the moment was conquering his lips. He didn't know what to do. His mind was racing so many things he should do and also things he shouldn't do. After the panic died down, Tsuna found himself indulging in the warmth that the prefect bestowed upon him. The sensation traveling from his lips down his toes, he never felt anything like it. It almost soothed the pain or deferred his focus on his ache. He could no longer think straight, now his mind was a complete blank and he just wrapped himself in the nice comfort that enveloped his body.

Abruptly, Hibari released his grip of Tsuna's shirt letting him drop back to the floor. The fall woke Tsuna from whatever stupor he had drifted off to. The light in his eyes came back and he returned to the cold reality. His eyes looked at Hibari wondering why he had dropped him so suddenly. Then again this was Hibari's style; he didn't like people being so close to him. He presumed that the disciplinary prefect had gained a sense of what he was doing and stopped it at once. He stared into the dark eyes of the prefect as he towered over him. There was a long silence and finally, the protagonist dared to ask. "Why did you-?" He asked.

"Forget…" He heard Hibari said. "Forget about it or I'll bite you to death!"

Tsuna looked to the prefect perplexed. He wanted his question answered but he wasn't going to pursue the question any further, since it appeared that Hibari wanted to disregard what had transpired between them. He obeyed and did what the other asked of him. "Okay…" He said quietly, looking down at the floor like an obedient puppy.

He then heard the footsteps of the prefect leaving. Tsuna picked his head up and watched the figureof Hibari walking down the hall. After a while, he didn't hear the other's footsteps anymore and knew he wasn't close by. He frowned, still left with his unanswered question. Why had Hibari kissed him? He was supposed to hit him not kiss him? He truly didn't understand that person and now Tsuna was even more convinced that the other was insane. Tsuna picked up his hand weakly and traced his lips with his fingertips. He still felt the slight warmth that other had placed there.

His mind then went back to earlier that day when Byakuran has talked to him. He didn't want to believe it but his words may be true. _Because Tsu-chan is becoming more and more popular._ He heard the student president's voice play in his head. _Wasn't this what you wanted? _He frowned. Was this true? This couldn't possible be what he wanted. He recalled the day that he had gotten on the train to go to Namimori All Boys School; forcing himself to think that perhaps he could turn a new leaf. He didn't want to be No Good Tsuna; he wanted to be accepted for his flaws but was this the price?

"Tenth…" Tsuna's eyes widen, the mention of his unusual nickname interrupted his train of thought.. Looking across from him, he saw Gokudera trying to get up.

The brunette panicked thinking that the other shouldn't push himself after getting beaten by Hibari. "Gokudera-san…Don't force yourself. Aren't you hurt pretty badly?"

The silver haired terrorist doesn't listen to him and against his wishes, he gets to his feet. Watching as the other staggers over to him, Tsuna realized he was being stubborn. The brunette gets to his own feet and went to his friend's aid; although his body still ached he wanted to help Gokudera. His eyes widen as he saw his friend start to wobble, threatening to fall. Hastily going to the other's side, he tried to help him balance his weight. It would bad if Gokudera fell, he wouldn't be able to pick him up and even now he was struggling to keep his friend upright. "Gokudera…I can't hold you up on my own."

"I'm sorry…Tenth. I wasn't able to protect you…" Gokudera told him and then he leaned on the wall. He realized that it was very hard to stand and even his vision was kind of blurry. Despite this, none of that matter. He needed to know if Tsuna was alright before he could think of himself.

Tsuna figured that Gokudera was conscious enough to know that Hibari had hit him. He then thought that if he knew that…did he know about the kiss too? He figured that Gokudera would have brought up, since he was so protective of him. He decided to believe that for the good of his health. He smiled at Gokudera and he tried to voice to the other how well he was. "I'm fine. You should worry about yourself." He tried to be as calm as possible but it was hard to be composed, when your friend needed help and you couldn't do anything. Tsuna felt so hopeless.

"Tsuna! Gokudera!" Tsuna recognized the voice that was calling out to them. It seemed that Yamamoto was searching for them.

"Yamamoto-san! Over here! Hurry!" Tsuna yelled, so that the other could find them. Soon after, he heard someone running down the hallway. His eyes waited to see the dark haired baseball fanatic but instead the first person who turned the corner was not Yamamoto. Tsuna looked to the newcomer as he walked towards them. The stranger was blonde with shaggy shoulder length hair. His eyes were chocolate brown. He could tell by the other facial features and the shape of his eyes that he was not Japanese but a foreigner. The other had on a Namimori school uniform just like them, except it was a tad messy. His shirt was out of his trousers, his collar a bit loose and his tie dangled loosely around his neck. Tsuna then slowly noticed the flaming skull tattoo on the other's neck and on his arm another tattoo peeking underneath the sleeve of his uniform. He was as tall as Yamamoto if not taller. Tsuna had to admit that he looked very cool. Although, this person smiled at him friendly, he wasn't sure whether he should trust him or not. It wasn't long before Yamamoto came up behind him, that he started to relax.

As if Gokudera could read his mind and sense his own wariness of the newcomer, he asked. "Who the hell are you?"

"This is Dino Cavallone. He's an upper classmen I met. He came to help." Yamamoto assured his friends. "He's a real nice guy."

"Yo." The blonde said in response to Yamamoto's introduction. Dino looked to Gokudera and decided to mess with him. "Looks like Hibari got you pretty good."

"What was that?!" Gokudera said getting angry. He was about to lung himself at Dino but was stopped by the momentarily pain the surged through his body.

Tsuna frowned as his friend got over excited. Watching as Dino went to help Gokudera and continue his taunts, he asked Yamamoto: "How did you know to come here?" He wasn't complaining. He was glad that Yamamoto had come to help him but it did seem too good to be true. These things only happened in movies and in real life people usually weren't this lucky. Well, in his lifetime he was never this lucky.

"Well…" Yamamoto scratched his head, recalling what had happened just moments before. "Dino and I were coming back from vending machines. And that's when we saw Hibari. As he walked passed us, he said something like, "your friend is dying over there." So Dino and I decided to investigate. And here we are."

"I see…" He couldn't express what he felt at the moment. However, he was grateful that Hibari alerted Yamamoto. Maybe he had been right about Hibari putting up an act as the villain. Maybe.

"Anyway, we should get Gokudera to the infirmary. He doesn't look so good." Yamamoto's eyes then noticed something about Tsuna. The younger boy seemed to be holding his side pretty tenderly. He placed his hand on Tsuna's shoulder, making the smaller boy look straight at him. "Are you hurt too, Tsuna?"

"I'm fine." He assured the other. The area where he had been hit did throb but the pain was slowly going away. He believed the only damage placed on him would be a bruise and nothing more. Almost positive that he would be fine the next morning, he concluded that he was fine. He didn't think he was hit that hard by Hibari, the thing was he always had a weak body. So any damage inflicted to his person hurt a little more. "I promise…" He watched as the other's concern for him disappeared.

Tsuna then looked to Yamamoto's friend, Dino. Although, he was currently joking around with Gokudera, he knew that the other was going out of his way to help them. He didn't know how close he was to Yamamoto but it was a nice gesture to help people he didn't even know. "Thank you for you help, Cavallone-san."

The blonde haired upperclassmen looked to Tsuna and smiled. "You don't have to be so formal. You can just call me, Dino, okay?"

"Are you sure it's okay? I don't think I'll be comfortable doing that." Tsuna was taken back by the other's words. The only other person he met, that told him to be less formal was Byakuran.

"It's alright." Dino insisted.

"Then, I'll call you Dino-san." Tsuna laughed.

_It was that easy!_ Yamamoto and Gokudera thought in unison. Since, Tsuna still only referred to them by last name. They were kind of disappointed that Dino was able to make Tsuna call him by his first name just as soon as they met. And here was Gokudera and Yamamoto, who both had known Tsuna much longer than Dino and their love interest were still calling them by their last names. _This guy is good._

* * *

After the occurrences of last night, Tsuna wasn't that enthusiastic about the day ahead him. However, he followed his usual morning routine despite his anxiety. The place that Hibari had hit him, no longer pained him unless it was touched. He felt kind of guilty that the prefect hadn't done more damage to him. He found that it wasn't fair that Gokudera was stuck in the infirmary and he was free to prance around. However, he was sure karma will strike him back sooner or later; he never had such good luck for too long before his fortune changed. Like any other day, he went to class and hanged out with Yamamoto mostly…since Gokudera was still in the infirmary. However, he had to separate from his baseball obsessed friend because the other wanted to practice some more before try-outs. So Tsuna was left on his own to entertain himself. As he walked down, the hallways to find something to amuse him, he noticed that his fellow scholars would give him certain looks. Their looks had always made him self-conscious and uncomfortable. It was as if he had something that they wanted.

Over the past few days, Tsuna had noticed the hungry glances from his fellow students. He seemed to notice them even more after the events of last night. Everywhere he went those eyes would follow him as he was some kind of prey. Those gazes were so intense that when he would walk the halls of his school alone, his heart would race. Today was no different. Was it really like this in an all boys school? He began to wonder. Was it normal for people looked at you with questioning looks and such? He conjectured, maybe they all were actually hazing him to see if he would crack under pressure. And he was considering it.

He felt he was getting more stares today because Yamamoto and Gokudera weren't with him. Tsuna hadn't known the others very long but he kind of missed their presence. It was lonely without them near him but he didn't want to get in their way. He knew he would be troubling Gokudera, if he came to visit him. He was still upset about the Hibari incident and he didn't want to bother Yamamoto, when he was working so hard. The brunette had talked with Dino earlier that morning but it wasn't the same. He sighed. The school year had just begun and he was already felt forlorn. Unexpectedly an announcement was made. Tsuna stopped his train of thought to listen to the message.

"Will Sawada Tsunayoshi of class 1-D report the office? Will Sawada Tsunayoshi of class 1-D report to the office?" The loudspeakers requested.

"What's that about?" Tsuna said listening to the announcement and decided to obey it. He knew he hadn't done anything wrong as of yet. The only way he would find out was to go.

* * *

Tsuna entered the office, kind of bewildered. His mind was plagued by different possibilities of the reason why, he had been summoned to the office. He then looked to the secretary that was sitting behind the desk. For some reason he had thought that everyone in an all boys school had to be male, so he was surprised to see a female. Even the so called nurses or medical assistants in the infirmary were male. He felt he hadn't seen a woman in ages, although…it really was only three days since he's been here. She watched as the secretary looked up at him and he frowned at the slight flush that appeared on her cheek. "Yes?" She said sweetly.

"There was an announcement just a few moments ago, asking for me to come to the office." Tsuna stated. Before the secretary could answer him back, someone else beat her to it.

"Sawada Tsunayoshi." An unfamiliar voice called to him. Turning in the direction of the voice, his tawny eyes fell on a new face. He looked to the stranger curiously. The boy was tall and he guessed around Gokudera's height. He had vibrant red hair that was chin length. His eyes were grayish-brown but he wasn't sure since the light reflected off his thick glasses. He also noted that the other's skin was a little pale. He wore his Namimori school uniform as neatly as he did. He was kind of nervous by how serious the other was…not as serious as some people he had met but he seemed like a person who went straight down to business. "I'm Irie Shouichi. I'm here to escort you to the Student Council Assembly Room."

"The Student Council?" Tsuna repeated but even so he couldn't figure out why the student council wanted to see him. He only knew a few things about them. He knew that they were very important to the school. That was the reason why they were able live on the seventh floor of the Sky Dorm. "Why does the Student Council want to speak to me?"

"Our president, Byakuran-sama asked for you." He said flatly and then he leads Tsuna down the hall to the Student Council office.

"Byakuran-san is the president?!" He couldn't image that carefree person being president. He was amazed. He became curious on why Byakuran wanted to see him, since he had just seen him the other day. "Irie-san. Do you know why Byakuran-san wants to see me?"

"I have no idea what goes on in that guy's head." He sighed but he looked to Tsuna, smiling. "But he always talks highly of you, Sawada-san. So I guess it's not that bad."

"I see." Tsuna had to admit that he couldn't figure him out either and he wondered if Byakuran was really such an unpredictable guy as he presented himself.

Tsuna followed after Shouichi as they came to a wooden door with the words: Namimori Student Council engraved into it. He allowed his escort to open the door for him. Both of the students walked into a rectangular sized room. The walls seemed like the color of snows against the rosewood borders. The furniture was pressed up against the walls. Closest to them was a very long couch that was the color of beige. In the corner next to the beige couch was a blood red loveseat. It seemed the rest of the furniture, followed that pattern all around the room. In the middle of the floor was a large Persian carpet. On top of the carpet was a short but long table that had chocolate treats in a very expensive looking bowl. The wall in front of them had a tapestry of the Namimori crest on it. The tapestry was dark blue and the lettering of Namimori was silver. Tsuna's tawny eyes followed Shouichi as he went to the far left side of the room, where there was another door. The door was a dark colored wood and there was golden letters on it,reading: office.

Following Shouichi inside, Tsuna saw contrast from the room he was in. This room actually looked like an office. The walls were blinding white and the floor was tiled black. There were separate cubicles for six people. There was a water fountain, refrigerator and file cabinets along the sides of the white walls. There was a big red couch on another side of the wall. The room had no picture or posters but it did have boards with post-its and scribbles of importance on it. However what caught both Shouichi's and Tsuna's eyes were the long table on the far side of the room. The table was simple and ordinary but who was tied down to the table was worth speculation. Byakuran's hands and feet were bond by ropes that tied him down to the table!

Shouichi looked at his restrained president with widened eyes. "Byakuran-sama!"

Tsuna was pretty shocked by the sight he saw too and he was just as frozen as his escort.

Byakuran looked in the direction of the shouts of surprised. He smiled when he saw the two of them coming towards him. "Ah…Tsu-chan and Shou-chan, two of my favorite people. How nice of you to drop by? If you don't mind, could you help me out of these ropes? Xan-chan pulled them a little too tight. "

"Xanxus-senpai, did this to you? I just left a few minutes ago…what did you say to make him angry? " He inquired. He couldn't leave his president alone for one moment without him causing trouble. This person was so tiring. He sighed as he started to release his president from the ropes.

"Of course, Shou-chan. Doesn't Xan-chan look like the type to be into bondage? I thought that was pretty obvious." Byakuran smiled at finally being freed form his restraints. He then slid off of the table and gained back his composure as if the ordeal had not happened at all. "I only asked him a simple question and then he just exploded."

"Byakuran-sama." Shouichi said knowing that wasn't the whole truth. He knew his president was always provoking his vice president.

Tsuna was curious of who this Xanxus person was. He sounded scary. "Who's Xanxus?"

The red haired secretary answered Tsuna. "He's Byakuran-sama's Vice President. Xanxus is practically the shadow president because Byakuran-sama doesn't do what he's supposed to."

"Are you nagging me too, Shou-chan? That's not very nice. I try my hardest too, you know. Those mangas aren't going to read themselves. " Byakuran defended himself but it made him seem even lazier.

_At least, lie about what you really do!_ He felt so overwhelmed by the president's apathy. Although, he didn't know Byakuran very well, he was kind of disappointed to find out that Byakuran was such a slacker. However, recalling their few meetings, he was surprised he hadn't thought of it. The student president was so carefree and it was kind of hard to see him in a position that gave him so much power. What made Tsuna even more disappointed was fact that the other had no shame at all. He wasn't embarrassed that most people saw him as an idler or even the less bit humiliated that he wasn't doing his job. It seemed that Byakuran enjoyed fueling the flames of his supposed languorous leadership with his blithe demeanor.

Byakuran then frowned at Shouichi and tried to convince the other, that he was being productive. "Plus, I'm doing work right now. I have a fabulous proposal for Tsu-chan."

"Proposal?" The brunette questioned.

"Yes." The president turned to Tsuna and was giving him his full attention. "Haven't you noticed we have a lack of school spirit? We don't have school colors. We have intramurals but no one really shows up. We have events but no one even bothers. However, since Tsu-chan is so popular…I'm sure he can bring back the flavor in our school. So that's why I want Tsu-chan to be the school's mascot. I'm sure if you were our mascot then everyone would come to our school-related events and have a little fun. People are already drawn to that personality of yours."

"What?! You want me to be Namimori's mascot?" Tsuna was stunned by Byakuran's suggestion.

Byakuran nodded feeling very confident in choosing Tsuna as their mascot. Who else would do the job better than him? "Tsu-chan will be a splendid mascot! Don't you agree, Shou-chan?"

Shouichi looked to Byakuran as he asked his opinion. He had to admit that he could picture Tsuna getting the students excited. "Sawada-san does have that appeal. I'm sure he could easily motivate the crowd."

"Appeal?!" People were seeing things that he could not, again. He didn't think he had any kind of charm at all. He was just plain old Tsuna.

"Tsu-chan's being modest again. You're cute. Haven't you notice the way everyone looks at you? Why don't you use that for good use and help the school out. " Byakuran looked to Tsuna rather amused and he couldn't help beaming at the other. Tsuna was too modest for words. Was he still oblivious to how the students really felt about him? His precious Tsu-chan was truly one of a kind. Dense but still innocence nonetheless.

_I don't want everyone's eyes on me! And it kind of sounds like you're pimping me out. _Tsuna mentally spoke his own reluctance but Byakuran could see by his facial expressions that he didn't like the idea very much. He decided to use different tactics to persuade him. He figured that Tsuna wouldn't be swayed by compliments; he didn't have much of an ego.

"I see…." Byakuran said his voice full of sorrow and hurt. "Tsu-chan doesn't want to do it. I was under the impression that Tsu-chan was a good person, who came to the rescue during people's time of need. But I guess I was wrong. Now, all the students will suffer through this semester like robots because Tsu-chan denied them of their excitement. What a cruel fate that lies before my student body."

Byakuran even threw the famous puppy dog face in. Tsuna couldn't take it anymore and he willingly let the other guilt trip. He didn't want to make anyone unhappy, even if it meant he had to do something he wasn't enthusiastic about. "Okay…I'll do it." He said frowning. He knew he was conned.

Byakuran's sadden performance went as fast as Tsuna's self-respect. Byakuran returned to his normal demeanor after the brunette had agreed to be his school's mascot. He grabbed Tsuna's small hands into his own. "You will! Really?! Tsu-chan, I think I love you!" He exclaimed.

_I want to take it back now. _He still wasn't used to the other talking to him like he did. He doubted he ever would be but he knew that the other's words weren't honest. There was no love behind those words and although he blushed at them it was only half-heartedly. He knew Byakuran was only saying it. Compared to Gokudera's declarations, Byakuran's were flat.

"Byakuran-sama" Sighing, he was kind of embarrassed by his President's behavior. Although, Shouichi never seen Byakuran get so affectionate with anyone before. He had always thought that Byakuran wasn't interested in such things. He guessed he really liked Tsuna but it was hard not to like someone so innocent and cute. Even Shouichi fell for him just a little. He then cleared his mind of his thoughts and continued. "But I'm surprised; you actually came up with a nice idea to help the school. I thought you hated Namimori."

"I do hate Namimori." Byakuran looked to Shouichi with a smile. "But I started to gain some hope when I met Tsu-chan. I'll do anything to support the school if he's involved."

"Huh?" Tsuna felt he missed something and it seemed that Shouichi was mirroring his expression as well. Byakuran was as secretive as ever but Tsuna felt as if some of what Byakuran had said was actually sincere. "That doesn't make sense."

"I guess not. Anyway, we have to make this official. So, Tsu-chan can't escape the commitment he made." Byakuran said pulling out a stack of papers and presenting them in front of Tsuna. "It's a contract. Please sign it."

Tsuna flipped through the pages. The document was pretty thick and it seemed very thoroughly written. "Do you want me to read this first?"

"No need. It just states generic stuff. Like your agreement of being our mascot and we're not liable if you get hurt during events…trivial stuff like." Byakuran said offhandedly.

_It's not that trivial! I kind of don't want to sign it now._ He thought to himself. However, he couldn't go back on his word in helping Byakuran. Tsuna supposed that he trusted Byakuran enough to sign the contract without reading it. He knew this decision may have repercussions in the future but he just hoped Kami-sama liked him enough to get him out of it. "Where do I sign?" Tsuna said nervously.

Byakuran showed him the places where he needed his signature. He watched the other sign his name and then stifled a chuckle. Tsuna had a very unique signature. "Tsu-chan…you write funny."

Tsuna blushed. He knew his handwriting was not the greatest or prettiest thing in world but it was still readable. "Leave me alone." He said as he wrote the last signature. "When do I start?"

Byakuran took the document away from the other and answered his question. "Isn't there a baseball try-out on Thursday? I guess that would be a good time for your debut. Come by the student council office for the debriefing, okay? But if Tsu-chan wants, he can visit me before then too. I'm always happy to see you. Better yet, come by everyday."

"Then you won't get any work done." He said already hinting that he just wanted a distraction.

"Whether you visit him or not, the result will be the same. He doesn't do work on a regular basis." Shouichi told Tsuna. "He's a terrible president, through and through."

"The worse. I'm making Namimori history." Byakuran concurred. The blue eyes of the student president watched as Tsuna made his way to the door.

"I guess…I should be getting back. Thank you for having me." He smiled at the Student council members. Tsuna felt that he had stayed here long enough or rather he felt there was nothing more for him to do.

"Thank you again for your help, Tsu-chan. I really appreciate it. Come back anytime." Byakuran called after Tsuna as he waved good-bye to him and Shouichi.

The president and his secretary watched the door opened and closed with Tsuna's disappearance. There was silence for a few moments before Shouichi decided to speak.

"Byakuran-sama, why didn't you want him to read the contract? What did you make him sign?"

Byakuran turned to Shouichi with a mischievous grin upon his face. "You know me pretty well, Shou-chan. I can't hide anything from you. Well, I'll give you a hint because I know you wouldn't betray me. Let's just say…I will get what I want in the end." He then walks over to the red haired boy, handing him his precious document. He waited for the other to accept it before he sat down on the couch and lounged there for a while before he spoke again. "Now, please put that in my vault and no peeking! I'm going to take a nap…"

Shouichi frowned, Byakuran never changed. "Byakuran-sama…please do your work."

* * *

Sighing he felt as if his energy was zapped from him because of his meeting with Byakuran. He wondered how everyone could deal with such a strenuous person. He couldn't imagine how Shouichi was able to handle Byakuran and it made him have more respect for the red haired secretary. Tsuna rubbed at his eyes feeling immensely tired. He couldn't wait to get back to his room and just flop on his bed, letting the day disappear while he slept.

As he turned a corner, he noticed that he was walking into a very foggy hallway. The entire hallway was covered in a light mist that blurred his vision. He could barely see the other end of the hallway. The protagonist frowned; it bothered him that the hallway was in this state. It was even worse because he was all by himself and no one seemed to be walking around the hallways. The whole the situation was eerie and something in the back of his head was telling him to walk around it. But since, Tsuna had a knack for making irrational decisions; he settled to walk into the misty hallway. He figured if he walked through it quickly, nothing would happen.

As Tsuna walked, he heard someone behind him and he immediately thought, he was stupid to walk through the misty hallway. "Kufufu. You are as cute as they say, Sawada Tsunayoshi."

Tsuna jumped hearing the unfamiliar voice. Whirling around, he looked to behind him. His eyes fell on a dark figure. The other's posture was very relaxed and his head was tilted down, so he couldn't see his eyes. Tsuna was surprised that he could see this person clearly in the mist, since everything else seemed to be lost in the haze. The first thing he noticed about this stranger was his interesting hairstyle; the blue-purplish hair reminded him of the top of a pineapple. His hair was short in the back, a bit long in the front. His hair was parted in a zigzag fashion leading to some of his dark hair sticking up a little in the back. His skin was a pale color, which contrast against the dark colors of the uniform and his hair. This person wore the Namimori school uniform but it was off slightly. The other had opted to wear the Namimori blazer, which was a dark navy color and had silver colored buttons. The blazer collar didn't lay flat but stood erect. He wore a white t-shirt instead of the designated white dress shirt. He did wear the blue and silver striped tie but it hung loosely around his neck. He noticed that the other wore the school's black trousers as well with a heavy-looking spiked leather belt around securing it. The stranger wore black leather gloves on his hands and dark knee high riding boots. He had to confess that this mysterious person knew how to dress. "W-who are you?" He finally spoke.

"The black knight, perhaps." He said as he lifted his head up slightly and revealed his heterochromatic eyes. His left eye was a cerulean blue and his right eye was a crimson red. "My name is Rokudo Mukuro."

_What?_ Tsuna thought to himself looking at the other's eyes. He has never seen anything like it before. He knew there were people who had different color eyes but this was bizarre. In the spectrum of eyes colors, he knew that red wasn't on it. The red eye placed more shivers down his spine than person who was standing in front of him. There was something about the other's red eye that appeared otherworldly to him. Tsuna frowned looking at the fellow Namimori student. "Why are you here? To scare me? I think you've accomplished that."

"Kufufu. As much fun as that sounds that's not why I came here for. I felt you should be the first person to know since this matter does involve you." Mukuro walked the short distance between him and Tsuna. He smirked seeing how the boy flinched as he grew near. He cupped the other's cheek with his gloved hand. "Your body belongs to me."

"Eeee?! What are you saying?" He said looking up at Mukuro's face, which looked rather amused. He felt a shiver run down his spine as the other touched him.

Mukuro smirked. "Wasn't I clear, Sawada Tsunayoshi? I said your body is mine."

_I think I was trying not to hear it._ He frowned, thinking to himself. It wasn't everyday that a random person comes up to you and saying that your body was their possession. Tsuna was at a lost for words. How do you respond to something so absurd?! "I don't remember giving it away." He finally responded.

"Kufufu. Don't misconstrue what I'm saying to you…I'm taking your body by force." He watched the smaller boy's eyes flickered with something that was similar to trepidation. He observed as Tsuna tried to break away from him but the other soon realized that it was impossible. Tsuna couldn't move at all! He leaned into the other and whispered into his ear. "You've been trapped since the very beginning."

The unfortunate protagonist eyes trailed downward and he was terrified by the sight he saw. Lotus flowers and vines were wrapped around his legs! The flowers seemed to have a certain power to immobilize him. He wondered why he hadn't noticed that plants were wrapping around his body earlier. It wasn't until he looked down, did he realize that he was being restrained. His tawny eyes watched as the plants wrapped around his hands as well. He could actually feel the smooth and feather light touch wrapping around his wrists. His attention was brought back to Mukuro, who was currently slipping one of his gloved hands under his shirt.

"Stop it! Why are you doing this?" He squirmed as he felt the other's cold leather gloves brushed against his skin. He stifled a moan as the other ran a single gloved finger up his spine. He blushed not knowing where that sound came from and then he pleaded. "This isn't right…let me go."

"Because I want to. It doesn't matter if it's right or wrong…" He said with a chuckle. Using his free hand to lift the brunette's head upward, so that he was looking into the other's frightened eyes. "I'll let you go after I'm finish with you. Don't worry, it wouldn't be unpleasant." He grinned as he drew closer to the other's lips.

Chapter Five End

* * *

Byakuran's Omake – Why did Xanxus tie Byakuran up?

Byakuran: Xan-chan? Can I ask you a question?

Xanxus: No…now shut the fuck up and do your work!

Byakuran: But I want to ask you a question?

Xanxus: I said no, damn it!

Byakuran: **grins** But it's just a question. I can't ask you a simple question? I want to ask you a question. Let me ask you a question, Xan-chan?

Xanxus: **annoyed** What the fuck is it?!

Byakuran: Why are you so angry all the time?

Xanxus: **surprised** Huh?

Byakuran: You're always so mad. Why? **looks sincere** You can tell me.

Xanxus: Well… **sighs** my father never loved me, my life sucks and everyone is afraid of me. I'm not really angry…I'm actually very depressed.

Byakuran: **snorts** Xan-chan is such a loser! **laughs hysterically**

Xanxus: **enraged** I'll show you what's so fucking hysterical!!

Byakuran: Xan-chan! You're hurting me! Ah…That's my tender spot! Hey, that kind of tickles!

Omake end – I'm sure Xanxus has other reasons why he's angry.

* * *

Author's Note: Byakuran's part was very long and it also took me a while to write…why? I wish I knew. The other parts were easier to write…except Mukuro's part (describing his hair was a biotch!) and the beginning of the chapter with Hibari but I kept revising Byakuran's part. I wasn't happy with it and even now…I'm still feeling iffy about it. Oh well…I hope that you liked this chapter. It wasn't too exciting. I'll have Dino show up more…since we didn't get to see his clumsy side (lol). The title of the next chapter will be Tsuna the Mascot…and you know if Byakuran's involved, Tsuna's not going to be an ordinary mascot. Anyway, look forward to next chapter. Always show you care by reviewing or there will be no fluff next chapter! I mean it!


	6. Tsuna the Mascot

Hungry for Tsuna

A Katekyo Hitman Reborn Fanfiction

Disclaimer: Katekyo Hitman Reborn is a creation of Akira Amano. I just wish I came up with the idea.

Author's Note: Do all fan girls think the same way? From your reviews, it seems so. How did you know, I was going place Tsuna in a dress?! Now I have to switch it up. Perhaps, next time. My job is to keep you guessing and obviously, I didn't do my job last chapter. This chapter is so long, I never wrote such a long chapter in my life. It took me forever to finish. In the middle of writing it, I would always think, _I'm not done yet!!_ This will not happen again. Hopefully you enjoy it. I would also like to think Mithras151 for checking this chapter for me, so it should be more readable.So that you don't get confused, Otachan is Byakuran's nickname for Spanner and Same-chan is his nickname for Squalo. Kuro-chan is his nickname for Mukuro. The explanation of the nicknames is at the end of the chapter. I'm trying to be a little more unique with Byakuran's nicknames…since the original naming process is getting kind of worn-out and it doesn't work all the time. Besides that, without further delay, chapter six of Hungry for Tsuna: Tsuna the Mascot.

Tsuna the Mascot summary: Tsuna is saved by…himself?! Spanner is a seamstress?! Someone gets groped?! No surprises on which person this is.

Chapter Six: Tsuna the Mascot

Once again, Tsuna found himself helpless against yet another male at this school. The sad truth was he had just been mauled by Hibari the other day. It hadn't even been a full twenty-four hours since he was molested last. He had the worst fortune in the world; he swore this because it never failed him how ill-fated he was. He kind of hated himself for finding himself in these type of situations more than once. The brunette could only watch as the other kissed and groped him. The feeling of the other's lips against his was warm, but it was a lot different than Hibari's. Mukuro's kiss sent shivers throughout his whole body. Although the other's lips were warm, it was like a cold wind was whirling inside his body. It wasn't a terrible feeling, and in a dark part of his heart he enjoyed the sensation more than he thought he should.

The young boy panicked as the other suddenly pushed his tongue against his lips, beckoning his mouth open. He found himself falter under the other's touch and strength, allowing Mukuro entrance. He endured as the other's tongue began to explore the darkness within his mouth. He cringed as he felt the other's tongue brush against his own. He didn't know what to make of this feeling; it was driving him out of his mind and sending his body out of sorts. He was even making those weird sounds again. Sounds that came from deep from within his throat, it sounded animalistic and lustful. He didn't like how his body was betraying him. He wasn't supposed to be enjoying this, he we supposed to be finding a solution out of this predicament. However, any thoughts of defiance were totally erased as the other's tongue caressed his own. His mind went totally blank as he felt the warmth caress his tongue. It was an unusual sensation, but still pleasurable. Tsuna sighed as he was finally released from his bittersweet torture.

"Stop…please." Tsuna pleaded once more but hid protestations were ignored and replaced by mewls as the taller boy pressed lips against Tsuna's neck. A flush of red went up to Tsuna's face as the feather light touches trailed down his neck. Mukuro's warm breath against his skin was making him feel a little weak. It also didn't help that the other's hair brushed against his skin. All those sensations at once were drowning him and it became harder to concentrate. Before long he could feel the other's teeth graze his skin lightly. There was slight discomfort as the other nipped at his neck but his attention was drawn away by Mukuro's roaming hands.

Mukuro continued his exploration of Tsuna's delicate body. It made him more audacious as the other squirmed even more under the foreign touch; he could tell that no one else had touched him this way before. Considering this, he was more encouraged to seize this body. He wanted to be the first and last to touch him so intimately. His gloved hand then smoothed over Tsuna's stomach. Tsuna's eyes widen as Mukuro touched the area where Hibari had hit him the other day. His wound wasn't aggravated unless it was touched. And even though the cool gloved hand felt good against his bruise, it still seared with pain. Tsuna closed his eyes shut, wincing from the pain. All day he had tried to be careful with it, but all of his conscientiousness went out the window as Mukuro decided to grope him mercilessly.

Tsuna breathed in deeply, trying to ignore it but the throbbing pain countermanded any of his other senses and his train of thought. As the pain died down, he realized he no longer felt the gloved hands that once roamed all over his body. Nor did he feel the flowers around his wrists. He opened his tawny eyes to find that he was standing in the middle of the hallway. The hall was no longer covered in a screen of mist…it was normal. His hands and feet were no longer restrained by the lotus flowers and vines. Mukuro was no longer in front of him either. His eyes looked around the hall for his assailant. Then he found him, leaning on the wall not far from him. Watching as the other slowly looked up at him, Tsuna grew nervous. In spite of thinking he should seize this minuscule opportunity and run away, never looking back, he was curious as to Mukuro's reasons for trying to molest him.

"I'm impressed. You were able to see through my illusion but he helped you." Mukuro said, pushing off the wall and walking over to Tsuna. He was both angry and awed.

"An illusion?" Tsuna repeated. He was stunned; he had thought that everything that occurred was real. It felt real, anyway. "You can create illusions?"

"Yes. Among other things." He confirmed with a smirk. "You seem to like the things I could do to your body."

The protagonist couldn't help but blush. He had to admit that the other was skilled in his ministrations. Tsuna watched as the dark haired boy came closer to him. Tsuna began to walk himself into the wall, which only trapped him even more. He bumped into the wall and knew there was no where else he could maneuver. He watched as Mukuro placed a hand on the wall beside his face and he used his other gloved hand to cup his chin. "What was the point of placing me under an illusion?" Tsuna dared to ask, looking up at the other's face.

"Kufufu. Hibari hates illusions more than anything, and he hates them because of me. If his prince was also taken away by an illusion, how do you think he would feel? He'd be angry wouldn't he?" Mukuro said dropping his hand from the other's face and then picking up the hem of the other's shirt.

Tsuna frowned, seeing how wicked Mukuro was being. It was obvious that there was kind of grudge between his molester and Hibari. He wondered what the other did to the prefect to start such a vendetta. Before he could ask the other, he made a small yap as the dark haired boy abruptly lifted up his shirt. "What are you doing?!" He yelled but then was stopped as the other fingered the purple bruise on his torso. The pain of having it touch flared up once more and agony was shown clearly on his face.

Mukuro smirked, he kind of enjoyed seeing the other writhing in pain but he stopped his torment. He placed down the other's shirt and his heterochromatic gaze returned to his target's tawny ones. "The liar picked here to hit you. Didn't you think it was weird that he'd pick such a tender spot? If he hit you any harder he could have broken your ribs."

_I think that's what he was trying to do_. Tsuna thought to himself. He was convinced that out of anger, Hibari hit him at random. He wasn't paying attention to where he hit him; his main goal was to silence him. "Hibari-san was angry. This is only a coincidence."

"There are no coincidences. Things happen only because they are meant to." Mukuro said seriously. Tsuna paused as he thought he saw something pass through the other eyes. He assumed that it was hatred. He wondered what kind of life Mukuro endured to gain such a look with in his eyes. He then watched as a gloved hand cupped his cheek. His assailant continued. "…he must have known I would touch you here. Oh well…at least I had a little fun with you."

As he noticed that the other was leaning toward him for another kiss. He thought quickly, breaking free from the other grip and trying his best sprint to down the hallway. However, his efforts were in vain as Mukuro grabbed on to the other's hand, hindering him from moving any further. He then yanked Tsuna's arm towards him, making the other fly back into his arms. He took the other by the waist, making his vulnerable prey look at him. "It's useless…" He told Tsuna. He felt his molester press his lips against his and feeling like he was at square one once again. Helpless and drunk over what made the other's kisses so numbing, he was unable to stop Mukuro's possession over his lips. Soon after, he was released and he was able to breathe again. His eyes watched as the dark figure of Mukuro began heading to the end of the hallway.

"I promise you, you wouldn't be able to escape next time." He told the other as he walked down the hallway with his hands in his pockets. Tsuna watched the figure; thinking that if he didn't, Mukuro would sneak up behind him and molest him. Once he saw the other turn the corner, he took in a deep breath. He leaned against the wall trying to comprehend what just transpired.

Tsuna sighed, wondering if Hibari really choose that place to hit him, knowing that Mukuro was come to harass him. He wondered why Mukuro was so driven on using him to get back at Hibari. Last time, he checked he wasn't remotely anything more than a nuisance to the prefect. Nevertheless, he found himself slowly wavering from this idea. It was hard to ignore some of points that Mukuro had brought up. The other seemed to have known Hibari pretty well. And it would explain why he wasn't beaten up as badly as Gokudera. Tsuna sighed not getting any of it.

* * *

For the past two nights Tsuna had been unable to sleep. After the Mukuro Incident, he was too terrified to shut his eyes, thinking that the heterochromatic-eyed boy would come and attack him. The sad thing about it was he didn't dream of the other killing him or anything normal within a nightmare. He dreamed that the other kissed and touched him, the same way he had done so in the illusion. That was the part that scared Tsuna the most. He was dreaming of the other's violation of his body?! This school was starting to corrupt his mind and now his dreams. He didn't think he could survive the first term like this. His grades were already slipping and they fell even farther because of his insomnia.

In class he couldn't stay attentive. The lessons never interested him, mostly because he never understood any of it. He found himself daydreaming more than ever. And the people he would think about all bothered him immensely! No, he didn't daydream what normal boys his age dream about. Girls, cars, video games, sex and manga really didn't plague his thoughts as much as he thought they should. His thoughts would go out to the boys he had interacted with in the school. He would wonder about Hibari. He would worry for Gokudera. He was cheering for Yamamoto. He would try to understand Byakuran. He would also admire Shouichi. And he was cowering in fear for the next meeting with Mukuro. He realized that he had a pattern of daydreaming about guys but it was so hard not to. He had no choice, since all of them played a major role in his life at Namimori.

It took Tsuna awhile to realize that the school bell had rung and he followed the rest of his classmates, who gathered their belongings and left. Yamamoto hadn't come to class, since the try-outs were today. So he wanted to make sure that his skills were superb. He was kind of hoping that other would change his mind. It always felt reassuring when you know someone else isn't exceptionally well either. Then again, Yamamoto always had baseball on his brain…so it was kind of understandable why he slacked in his academics, but Tsuna didn't have much to worry. Besides, the slight worry of Mukuro's return. So he didn't have an excuse to why he was doing so poorly. He just settled with the fact that he was dumb. Tsuna headed back to the Sky dorm to drop off his bag. He wanted to get to the student council office before the baseball team try-outs started.

"Tenth!" Tsuna heard his bizarre nickname and immediately knew who it was. His eyes fell on a silver haired boy dressed in causal clothing coming up to him. He smiled as the other came toward him, happy to see he was energetic.

"Gokudera-san…you left the infirmary?" He asked the obvious.

"Yeah." He said scratching the back off his head and looking bashful.

"I'm glad." Tsuna started. He was truly concerned about his terrorist friend. He had been in the infirmary for a long time. Tsuna really missed the other's company. It was refreshing to see Gokudera in front of him. "I was worried about you."

"Well, I'm fine now, Tenth." He assured the smaller boy. "What have you been up to?"

"Nothing much. Except that somehow I've been picked to be Namimori's mascot." Tsuna shrugged, as if the news wasn't that important.

"You're going to be Namimori's Mascot? That's great, Tenth. You'll be the best mascot in Mascot history!!" Gokudera said excitedly.

_I don't want that kind of title_. He thought, watching as his friend became more excited over his nomination than he was. But that was Gokudera for you. Tsuna sighed. "Maybe. If the students like how I perform today."

Gokudera smiled. "I'm sure, the Tenth will do fine."

Tsuna blushed by Gokudera's consistent compliments. He was starting to feel that maybe he wouldn't be such a bad mascot after all. "You really think so?" He asked him.

"I know so because I believe in you, Tenth." Gokudera said seriously again.

_These words again, but I do feel more encouraged. Gokudera-san is really trying his best to convince me that I wouldn't make a totally idiot of myself. I hope I don't disappoint him._ He considered this inside his head. His terrorist friend wasn't that bad. He smiled brilliantly once more. "Gokudera-san, that means a lot to me. I have to go to the baseball try-outs today. Will you come to support Yamamoto and me?"

"I'll come to support the tenth." Gokudera told him, he would never support that stupid baseball freak, his rival. He would only support the Tenth, who was his sunshine. He then added. "And I'll also be your bodyguard."

Tsuna waved his hands about nervously, as if using some kind of secret sign language to persuade the other otherwise. He didn't want Gokudera to go out of his way for him. "I don't think I need all of that. Plus, I wouldn't want you to put yourself in danger. You just got out of the infirmary."

"I told you that I am willing to risk my life for you. And as a friend, this something I should do." Gokudera felt like he was kind of insulted, even though Tsuna was only thinking about him. He needed to redeem himself for the Hibari incident, he was unable to protect Tsuna that time and he just wanted to make sure that he was there whenever Tsuna may need him.

"Gokudera-san…" Tsuna's smile wavered slightly as he saw that he hurt Gokudera's feelings. He told himself that maybe the other would be happy if he just allowed him to do what he pleased. He then embraced the silver-haired boy by wrapping his arms around his waist and hugging him close. He then gave the other his approval, since he wouldn't be able to persuade him. "Thank you very much."

Gokudera blushed furiously as Tsuna hugged him. "Tenth! What are you doing?"

"Isn't this the hug of friendship?" Tsuna looked up at Gokudera confused. The other told him awhile ago, that he did the "hug of friendship" to most of his friends.

Gokudera panicked looking down at Tsuna's suspicious face. He then nervously agreed. "Right…" He said making himself look even more suspicious and any normal person could see that he was caught in his own lie. "I just haven't done it in a while. I haven't been able to make many friends."

"That's right. Gokudera's been in the infirmary, right? That has to be it." Tsuna said totally convinced by the other's explanation. He then let go of him. "Anyway, I have to be going now. I'll see you later, Gokudera-san."

Gokudera watched as the smaller boy pulled away and headed toward the Sky dorm. He then called after the other. "Good luck, Tenth!"

* * *

Byakuran looked at the four members of the student council that actually showed up to today's meeting. As always, Hibari never showed up because he didn't like crowds. His treasurer was missing as well. He sighed as he was left with Xanxus and his loud sidekick, Squalo Superbi. Squalo was about his height with long white hair and piercing blue eyes. His most distinguishing was his very loud voice. He heard that the loudmouth psycho had cut of his own left hand to become a better swordsman. His left hand was replaced a prosthetic hand, that had all of the functions of the missing limb and more.

His eyes dispassionately looked to Shouichi, who was setting up everything for the meeting. He just wanted this go as fast as possible. He needed to know what happened next in that new doujinshi he was reading. The suspense was killing him to the point he was becoming antsy. His attention came back to the matter at hand and accepted the piece of paper that Shouichi gave to him. He looked at it plainly. He decided this was a good time as any to get started.

He began, "Alright, boys and…more boys. It's time for the Namimori Student Council to commence. Now let's begin with the roll call." He said as he looked down at a sheet of paper that had the names of all the members of the student council. There were six names on the sheet and there were small boxes beside each name. "When I say your name, please answer with phrase of the day. The phrase of the day is: I'm ready. If you do not answer with the phrase of the day, you will be marked absent and a frowny face will be place on the sheet next to your name. Understand?"

Xanxus crossed his arms over his chest and looked disgruntled. The president was always doing stupid things like this. "How about you act your age and not your shoe size, dumbass?"

"Well according to my Japanese shoe size…I'm twenty five. Byakuran gets 100 points; Xan-chan is still at zero!" Byakuran laughed and then dodged as the Vice president lunged at him. "Calm down, Xan-chan, I'm only joking. I'll start. King Byakuran, are you present? Yes, I'm ready! Xan-chan, are you present?"

"Yes, I'm ready…" He muttered under his breath.

Byakuran grinned, he loved screwing with this guy and he always made it so easy. "Huh? I can't hear you. Xan-chan, are you present?"

"I'm ready, damn it!" Xanxus yelled.

Satisfied, Byakuran turned to Shouichi. "Shou-chan, are you present?"

"Yes, I'm ready, Byakuran-sama." The red haired secretary responded.

The blue eyes of Byakuran scanned the room once more to see if any members had mysteriously appeared but to his chagrin, they had not. He called their names on the list anyway. "Otachan, are you present? No…you are not. Kyou-chan, are you present? No, you are not. Same-chan, are you present?"

"VOOOOI, I'M READY!" He watched as Xanxus' loud subordinate roared with excitement. The other was then silenced by a book that was flung at his head. The book hit its mark with great accuracy.

"You're too fucking noisy. Shut up!" Xanxus yelled angrily being the one who had thrown the book.

Byakuran returned to the attendance sheet in front of him. He playfully placed two frowns beside Hibari and Spanner's names. "Kyou-chan is absent because of obvious reasons. He doesn't like us. Otachan is absent because he's currently working on a project. This information has been documented and the missing members will be informed about the proceedings of this meeting at a later date. Go ahead, Shou-chan…"

"The first matter of business is the library. Due to the damage that was caused to the building, it's estimated that it will be closed for eight weeks. The principal wants us to find a place for a temporary library." Shouichi read off of his own report.

"Where can we find a big enough place for a library?" Byakuran thought out loud.

"How about the Sky Dorm? Isn't there a very large room on the seventh floor?" Xanxus asked.

"_That_ room, eh?" Byakuran thought about it. There was a very large room on the seventh floor. It used to be a recreational area but after the incident a year ago, no one had used it. "Xan-chan…you're brilliant. Shou-chan tell the principal that we will be using _that_ room."

"Right…" Shouichi replied as he wrote notes down and then he shifted to a different set of papers. He then continued. "The second matter of business is the return of Rokudo Mukuro. Although, his expulsion was lifted by the principal, he still advised us to keep an eye on him. Are all of you familiar with the incident that happened a year ago?" Shouichi pushed up his glasses as his eyes scan the room of some sort of recognition of the topic.

Recovering from the book being thrown at his head, Squalo spoke up…quietly. "Isn't that when that pineapple-head tried to take over the school? Wasn't he trying to possess the Principal?"

Byakuran played with his writing utensil nonchalantly, swirling it around his fingertips. Then he spoke up. "Something like that…Kuro-chan sure was a scary person back then." As a smile formed on his lips, as he reminisced about something in the past and he then revealed to the table his findings. "Remember, Shou-chan, when Kuro-chan called himself a witch in freshman year? That Kuro-chan sure was funny."

"A witch?" Xanxus said, kind of surprised by Mukuro's old moniker.

"Well, Kuro-chan was born to very religious parents. They didn't take kindly to their son obtaining a red eye overnight. So they deemed him a witch, thinking that their child had been possessed by the devil. He was abandoned soon after attempts by pious figures failed to expel the 'demon' from him. Kuro-chan was so filled with self-loathing that he gave himself that name. He even used that as an excuse for the reason why he caused so much trouble at the school. However, Kuro-chan slowly began to change. He actually started to like his time here but it seemed to be short-lived since he tried to take over the school not long after. Some people say that he snapped but everyone is still puzzled as to why he attempted to do such a thing." The president said as he began to draw pictures on to his attendance sheet.

"Should we let Hibari-senpai know?" Shouichi asked, knowing of the old dispute between the prefect and the delinquent.

"Knowing Kuro-chan, he probably already made contact." Byakuran grinned, making a cloud and a pineapple battle on his sheet of paper. The cloud was equipped with tonfas while the pineapple had a trident. He continued to illustrate the scene.

Then Xanxus grumbled angrily. "What was the principal thinking bringing that asshole back?"

Shouichi frowned as he watches his president draw on the attendance sheet. Then he looked to Xanxus, giving his opinion. "I think the Principal is testing our ability as a student council and the ability of the students. Or maybe he's giving Rokudo-san another chance to redeem himself. The only person who really knows what happened back then is the principal."

Byakuran's pencil stopped and he looked up at the members of the student council and gave them his famous all-knowing smile. "Or maybe the principal wants some fun. I'm not really sure what happened last year but perhaps, the truth will convey itself. We just have to keep an eye on him, that shouldn't be a problem. The student council has eyes and ears everywhere." He then went back to working on his art. "Alright…moving on."

Shouichi obeyed his president, who put an end to the topic. He went on to the next topic and smiled secretly to himself knowing that it would make Byakuran happy to hear it. "The third matter of business is Sawada Tsunayoshi as our mascot. Byakuran-sama chooses Sawada-san because he thought he was the best person to represent the school. He will debut as Namimori's mascot during today's baseball team try-outs."

"I'm so excited about it! I have goose bumps!" Byakuran squealed at his secretary's announcement.

"Who's this Sawada Tsunayoshi?" Xanxus asked, curiously. Not recognizing the name at all.

Shouichi pushed up his glasses and looked up at his vice president. Everyone knew who Tsuna was by now. He was surprised that he hadn't met him yet. "You haven't met Sawada-san, yet?"

The white haired president sighed. "Shou-chan, that's actually my fault. I've been devious when it comes to Tsu-chan and Xan-chan meeting. Xan-chan will surely ruin my Tsu-chan's innocence. So I purposely angered him the other day, when you were bringing Tsu-chan to the office. However, I wouldn't be able to stop the inevitable for long."

"So that's why you made Xanxus-senpai angry that time." Shouichi sighed. Wondering why his president couldn't he have done so in a more civilized way.

"THAT SHITTY BRAT THAT EVERYONE IS WORSHIPPING?! GIVE ME A FUCKING BREAK!!" The long haired student council representative roared.

"You know about him too? And didn't I tell you to shut up!" He then looks to Byakuran. Surprised that the President had been hiding this person from him, he then figured that this Tsuna person was very important to his president. He then grinned. "Well, if he's so precious to you. I'll be sure to destroy him."

"Hurt, Tsu-chan? I guarantee that you will be unable to. How could anyone hurt someone so cute?" Byakuran said shocked.

He was even more convinced that he should hurt this piece of trash that the president adored. It wouldn't even the score of how much he hated the president but it was a start. He gave him a smug smile. "Easy. I'll show you."

"We'll see." He whispered as he began drawing a tuna fish beating up a fire-breathing dragon with an 'X' on his tummy.

Before any fights began Shouichi decided to go on. "The fourth matter of business is we have to start fundraising for 40th Annual Namimori Cultural Festival coming up this fall. The principal wishes that we gather an estimate of forty-five thousand dollars by August."

"Do you want me to write the check?" Byakuran smiled.

The red haired secretary shook his head. "The Principal thought you would suggest that. Rather he wants us to earn the money through the students. Therefore, we have to create events to gain the money. He will not allow the whole amount to be paid off entirely. He did say that we are free to donate a few thousand but the combined amount can not exceed ten thousand dollars."

Byakuran looked at Shouichi unbothered by what the other said. "So we have to earn thirty-five thousand dollars by August? It should be fine, since we have Tsu-chan. We can pimp him out."

"Byakuran-sama…" Shouichi said in a warning tone.

Xanxus raised an eyebrow. "Why are you so confident in that brat?"

"Because Tsu-chan is my hope." He smiled dreamily and then before anyone could pursue the topic any further, he inquired. "Well, I guess our meeting is over. Is there anything that someone will like to bring up?"

"HOW COME OUR PRINCIPAL IS SUCH A DOUCHEBAG?!" The student council representative spoke up once more and then cowered at the glare he received from Xanxus.

Byakuran laughed, the principal did give them a lot of responsibility. He was starting to wonder if he was really the worse one at leadership. "He just wants to make sure we do our jobs. The student council is important to Namimori because we are the vehicle that influences the student body's happiness. If we don't make the students happy…then the students wouldn't attend and there would be no Namimori. We are the representatives of the students and we have to be very careful in the decisions we make for them. No matter how small or big…it has to the best decision."

"Nicely said Byakuran-sama." Shouichi smiled, when his president was inspired enough he could say such incredible things.

"Thank you! I do try to act intelligent sometimes." He said smiling at his secretary's praise. He then looked at his watch and from what he read; it was time to wrap things up. "Well, the party is over, Gentleman. You don't have to go home but you have to get the hell up out of here."

Squalo's blade came out of no where and he began waving it around as he declared, "WHAT WAS THAT?! I'LL SHRED YOU UP!!THIS IS OUR OFFICE TOO!"

"Try it…" Byakuran declared smiling cruelly at Squalo; he was beginning to be irked by the other's loudness. "I wouldn't mind embarrassing you. It'll be fun."

"Everyone please calm down." Shouichi stood up from his seat. The end of meetings was always like this. Everyone's dislike for each other would come up and explode into fighting. Everyone was cooperative during the meeting but once was done…all hell broke loose. "What if someone sees you arguing? This is not the presentable image of a student council."

Suddenly, the door to the Student council's office opened and Tsuna nervously poked his head through the small crack he made in the doorway. He had heard the shouting and yelling from the lounge and had hesitated entering. He was kind of nervous in interrupting whatever was going on. It wasn't until he heard Shouichi calm everyone down, did he think it was a perfect time to walk in.

"Pardon the intrusion." Tsuna said loud enough to be heard but not loud enough to be considered shouting.

Byakuran looked to the door and smiled when he saw Tsuna. He quickly went over to the freshmen as the other stepped into the office. "Tsu-chan! You came! How come you didn't come by yesterday and the day before that one? I told you to come everyday."

_I thought you were kidding! _"Sorry…" He told his president. The smaller boy then felt a dangerous aura in the room. His eyes looked to Xanxus and Squalo, who was looking at him rather curiously. The brunette grew nervous from their intense gazes. _Why are they staring at me?! I'm scared! _He stated in his head.

Xanxus pointed at the cowering boy that stood next to Byakuran. "Is he the mascot?"

Byakuran smirked and then attempted to protect Tsuna by shielding the other with his body. "Hey! Don't look at Tsu-chan with your unclean eyes…"

"Byakuran-san." Tsuna said as the other stood in front of him. He felt like he was a child being protected by some adult or older person. He moved slightly from behind the other watching as the president talked with his council members.

Xanxus laughed and then he grinned at Byakuran. "I'll surely destroy him."

"Destroy?!" Tsuna squeaked getting scared of the Xanxus's statement.

Squalo agreed with his vice president. The small boy seemed easy to break. "I TOLD YOU HE WAS A SHITTY BRAT! LOOK AT THAT PERTIFIED EXPRESSION ON HIS FACE. PATHETIC!!"

"You're just jealous…" Byakuran countered. "Unlike you, Tsu-chan has charm. You're just annoying to be around."

Squalo was about to shout more slander but he was stopped by Xanxus, who slammed his head into the table. "Be quiet…I'm trying to speak. Damn scum." His red eyes watched as Squalo nursed his face. After years of abuse, he could handle it. Finally, the long haired swordsman was silent. Xanxus turned his attention to Byakuran and Tsuna. "I will admit that he is cute but that's even more the reason why I want to destroy him."

"Oh yeah, big bad Xan-chan? Xan-chan really wants to be the fairest of them all, doesn't he?" Byakuran smiled at the dark-haired male's confession. The vice president thought that Tsuna was cute and that's how it always began. The seed of Xanxus' destruction was well on its way. He then continued. "I'm confident that you wouldn't be able to. You barely heard, Tsu-chan speak and wait till you see him perform as mascot. You will support the baseball try-outs today, right?"

Xanxus doesn't say anything instead he grabs on to Squalo's hair pulling him up on his feet. "Let's go." He commanded. Taking his leave and the long haired Squalo followed after him quietly.

Tsuna let out a sigh that he didn't know he was holding as he saw the two men leave. "That was Xanxus, wasn't it? He's scary."

Byakuran sighed, looking at the closed door for a while before he turned to Tsuna. "Xan-chan sure is terrifying. I heard that when he smiles…a puppy dies."

"Is that even possible?!" Tsuna said what he was thinking out loud.

"Be careful, Tsu-chan. I would hate if he did naughty things to you. If you're not careful he might rape you. Anyway, on to more important things…" Byakuran began seriously and then slipped into blasé mode.

"This is important!" The younger boy was baffled by how easily the other considered what he had just said as unimportant. He grew even more wary of the red-eyed vice president. However, worry for himself transformed into concern for Squalo. "Why was he being so mean to his friend?"

"Xanxus and Squalo." The white haired president said slowly as if he was reflecting on something and then he continued. "I wouldn't call their relationship status 'friends'. With those two it's hard to tell what they are. However, Same-chan is very loyal to Xan-chan. Same-chan will do anything for him, no matter how much the other abuses him."

"That sounds so terrible." Tsuna remarked, feeling sorry for the white haired subordinate.

Byakuran shrugged and then he explained seriously. "To us…maybe it is terrible but to Same-chan, it could be the best thing in the world. Don't feel sympathy for them, their not worth it. After all, Xanxus declared that he wanted to hurt you. I may joke with him but even I know there is a boundary I shouldn't cross with him. Don't slip up just a little around Xanxus, because I fear…that you will be the one hurt in the end."

"Byakuran-san…" Tsuna was taken back by Byakuran's sudden seriousness. He never saw the student council president act like this before. _But, you're wrong…everyone deserves the benefit of the doubt_ He thought to himself.

"Tsu-chan…let's play dress up!" The other tuned out of his seriousness.

_There he goes again_. He thought to himself as Byakuran returned to his playful demeanor. "What kind of costume will I be wearing?" He inquired.

"Shou-chan! Open the closet of wonders and mysteries!" He turned to his red haired secretary, who gladly went to a door in the room, that Tsuna never noticed was there. He watched as Shouichi opened the door revealing a huge walk in closet. Tsuna's eyes were attack by entire visible the color spectrum. There were a lot of costumes in the room but Tsuna realized immediately the slight problem with most of the outfits in this room.

"I'm not wearing those!" He said a blush rising up to his cheeks.

Byakuran tilted his head to the side as if confused. "Huh? What's the problem, Tsu-chan?"

The brunette waved his hands about baffled that the president didn't see this major problem. "These are girl costumes!"

"And?" Byakuran inquired sweetly. "I don't see a problem here. I think Tsu-chan will look great in girl's clothing."

"I see a major problem with that!" He protested.

Byakuran frowned, trying to convince the other to go along with it. "But, if you don't comply, I have the right to sue you for billions and billions of dollars for breaching our contract. Do you really want to go through that, Tsu-chan? Wouldn't it be less humiliating just to wear them? You could tell your children, this was one of the crazy things you did in your youth."

_I think both are humiliating! Why would I tell my children such an embarrassing story?!_ He was still not convinced that he should wear these costumes. He would be the total laughing stock of the school. He could imagine it now. He would no longer be known as No Good Tsuna but as Cross-dressing Tsuna. His luck was not looking up.

"Plus, Otachan went through all the trouble to make these costumes for you. He'll be really sad to hear that Tsu-chan doesn't like them? He's been working nonstop to make them." Byakuran added, trying to win the other over by placing him into a guilt trip.

"Who's Otachan?" The freshman raised an eyebrow not familiar with the name.

"Oh sorry, you haven't met him yet. Otachan is my nickname for him, his real name is Spanner. He's my treasurer. He's a mega otaku. When he heard that we were having you as a mascot, he got so excited and made all these costumes. I'm sure, you'll make him very happy. That is…if you wear them." He said as he told Tsuna who Spanner was.

Tsuna pointed to himself. "He knows who I am."

"I've only talked to him about you. So he has an idea of who you are." Byakuran offhandedly answered.

Hearing how the treasurer had gone through so much trouble to make the outfits, Tsuna felt kind of bad for refusing to wear them. He wouldn't want someone to turn down something he worked so hard to make. Tsuna reluctantly agreed. "Alright…"

"Yay!" Byakuran said happily and then took one particular costume off of the rack. "Otachan requested that you wear this one first. Put it on…put it on."

He frowned as the student president excitedly gave him an outfit to place on. He accepted the outfit slowly loosing his nerve. "Are you going to watch me?" He asked Byakuran.

"Yep." The other said shamelessly.

"Come on, Byakuran-sama." Shouichi ushered his president out of the closet and allowed Tsuna some privacy.

"You're no fun, Shou-chan!" He heard the president exclaimed outside.

Tsuna grudgingly places on the outfit on. He was sure his father, where ever the deadbeat was, would be very sad to see his son stoop this low. However, when he placed on the costume it didn't seem bad at all. Tsuna was wearing a cream sleeveless hooded vest. The hood of the vest had to bunny ears attached, the ears stood erect, when the hood was placed on the head. Around the edges of hood was white faux fur. The bottom of the vest was also fringed with the same white fur. The vest was cut short, ending at middle of his torso. The cream vest was left open, revealing a black shirt that was skin tight. The black shirt stopped at the beginning of his midriff, showing Tsuna' slender waist. Like the vest, there were no sleeves attached to black shirt. Tsuna wore army green shorts. The shorts stopped at half-thigh, so it was pretty short. The shorts even had a fluffy tail attached to the back. He wore long black socks that stopped a little bit above the knee. On his hands, he wore black fingerless gloves that stopped at his wrist; around the ends were also a fringe of white faux fur. At his feet were matching cream color sneakers that reached mid-calf. The costume was well designed and although it showed a lot of his skin, he thought he would be in something much worse. He exited the closet and looked to Byakuran and Shouichi.

"How did Spanner-san get these clothes to fit so well? I don't remember telling you my measurements." The costume had fitted perfectly and he wondered how the Spanner was able to do it.

"Well, I memorized Tsu-chan's naked body. I can always figure out the measurements of anyone just by looking once. It's Byakuran's secret skill number 45."The white haired boy said slyly.

_I'm not taking a bath with this pervert ever again_! Tsuna declared in his mind. "I see…"He muttered softly, wishing he hadn't asked the question in the first place.

Byakuran then chimed in. "Tsu-chan looks so cute! Otachan did a great job. I see why he wanted this to be the first costume you wear. Who could hate a bunny Tsuna?"

_If cute means I'm showing way too much skin. Then Yes! _"Don't you think this is a bit much?" He said, curious of what the other thought.

"Not at all. I like Tsu-chan with as few clothes as possible, preferably none." The president shrugged.

_I walked right into that one._ Tsuna stated in his mind as a blush bleed into his cheeks.

"Byakuran-sama." Shouichi said poking the president. He then looked to Tsuna. "But you really do look great, Sawada-san."

"Thank you, Irie-san." He said as he becoming more bashful by the second.

The white haired pervert then thought of something. "Tsu-chan…did you figure out a slogan?"

"A slogan?!" The bunny-clad protagonist inquired. "You didn't tell me anything about a slogan."

"Well, I was hoping that you would come up with something empowering to say to the students. You are the mascot. It's your job to uplift them." Byakuran explained.

Tsuna looked down; he was disappointed at himself that he hadn't thought of that. "Sorry…I haven't thought of one."

"Oh well." He said as he grabbed on to the freshman's hand and then dragging him out of the student council office. "You can think of one on the way. It's about to start…let's go!"

* * *

The baseball field was located on the far end of the school between the music hall and the gym. It wasn't far from the other buildings of the school but it was far enough, so that if there was a major game, the rest of the campus would not be disturbed. This was also the same for the other sports fields on campus. As soon as the trio arrived to the baseball field, they were introduced to a cacophony of impatient students. Tsuna's eyes widened upon seeing that nearly all of the seats and the bleachers were filled up by the students of Namimori. He hadn't expected such a turn out. His eyes searched the sea of people in the hopes of seeing a familiar face but he was unable to.

He followed Byakuran and Shouichi as they took him in front of the bleachers of the roaring crowd. There was a podium set up for the Student President to make his announcement.

"Wow…it's packed." Byakuran observed, as he looked to the bleachers. He guessed news traveled fast. "They must have come to see Tsu-chan…and oh yeah the try-outs."

"Byakuran-sama…you're making Sawada-san nervous." Shouichi said worried for Tsuna.

"I'm okay…" He assured them but he really wasn't. After seeing all of these people, he was really getting nervous. He hadn't expected all these people to come. Was it true? Did they really come to see him? He didn't want to look like an idiot in front of them, knowing this fact. He wondered what they all were thinking as they looked to him. And even now he still couldn't think of a good slogan to say.

"I guess, we should start then." The president said as he walked up to the podium and began to address the students. "Good evening, students of Namimori All Boys School. From the Student Council, we appreciate all of you for coming to today's event. We are greatly moved that you all have come to show your support for your school. Although, this is a try-out, it's still significant to the overall success of our school's baseball team. This site is where our greatest players are assembled and therefore it is just as essential as any other event. So, thank you for attending. Now, our school mascot, Sawada Tsunayoshi will like to say a few words of encouragement."

Tsuna panicked as Shouichi came toward him with his microphone. The young mascot could feel his heart pounding against his chest. His hand was shaking uncontrollably, as he took the microphone into his hands, his mind was a blank. He didn't know what to say to the students. His tawny eyes looked to the students and he grew even more afraid. He stood in silence for a few moments, trying to gather up a nerve, that he felt would never arrive. He then decided to say whatever came to mind. It would be better to say something than nothing. He clutched the microphone closed to his body.

He began, closing his eyes. "Um…Everyone! Please support Namimori with your Dying Will!" He shouted blushing terribly. He waited to hear boos and other nasty things from his fellow students. It was the most stupid slogan ever…no one would go for it. Tsuna eyes opened to hearing his ears betray him, they loved his slogan. They loved it so much that they were roared approvingly.

"YES!" He heard someone cry out.

"WE'LL SUPPORT NAMIMORI WITH OUR DYING WILL! GO NAMIMORI!" A group of people bellowed

"NAMIMORI RULES!" Some more students howled.

"SAWADA-SAMA RULES!" To his embarrassment, some other zealous students yelled.

"What?" Tsuna said in disbelief, he didn't place much thought in the slogan and he was surprised by how well received it was.

"Wow…they seem to like it a lot. You really got the crowd excited and it's only a try-out." Shouichi said, looking to the confused Tsuna.

Byakuran walked away from his podium to congratulate Tsuna. "See? Didn't I tell you that Tsu-chan would make a great mascot? I can see talent." He then looked his bunny-clad Tsuna. "Alright…Tsu-chan, you can handle things from here, right?"

"You're leaving me?!" The mascot said shocked.

"Well I don't like baseball…so I'm going to entertain myself with something else. Be sure to come back to the student council office to return the outfit." Byakuran said as he walked off. "Work hard, Tsu-chan!"

"Wait! Byakuran-san…" Tsuna tried to stop him but with no avail, he couldn't make the student president return.

"This is Namimori's school flag. You should wave it around every once and a while or else the crowd might be bored." Shouichi handed him a long stick with a white banner attached. The Namimori crest was on it written in silver letters. "Sawada-san, do your best." Shouichi said as he followed after Byakuran.

He watched as the red haired secretary left him alone as well. Tsuna frowned as he turned to the students who were still shouting words of praise at him. He felt even more anxious than he had before. "Tenth!" He heard Gokudera shout from the roaring crowd.

Tsuna turned to the silver haired boy coming toward him. He watched as his friend approached him with dynamite ready in his hand. Despite, the impending threat of the dynamite. Tsuna was very happy to see the other. He had come through on his promise to support him and now becoming his body guard since, Byakuran and Shouichi left him.

"Gokudera-san, you came." He said smiling at the other happily.

"Of course, I came, Tenth! You were really awesome and you look great." He complimented Tsuna.

Tsuna was about to open his mouth to disagree with Gokudera's comments but he heard another voice from behind him. "Tsuna!" They both turned to see Yamamoto waving to them from where he stood. He almost forgot his reason to be here besides being mascot, he was here to show support to Yamamoto. To Gokudera's abhor, Tsuna waved back at Yamamoto.

"Yamamoto-san! Good luck!" Tsuna shouted to him. He watched as the other's attention was drawn away from them and returned to the task ahead of him. He looked to Gokudera. "It's starting…"

Tsuna and Gokudera sat for the majority of the try-out. At times, when Tsuna noticed that the crowd was getting bored, he would walk about and wave the Namimori flag to bring them back to life. For the most point, the try out was pretty uninteresting. Tsuna wasn't much of a sports fan to begin with, so he didn't enjoy it. He watched as the players of the Namimori Baseball team played against the candidates. They practice hits, throws, catches, running around the bases and they even played a mini game. As Tsuna watched he realized how great of player, Yamamoto was. His hits were perfect, his throws were so fast and his never dropped a ball. He was quick when it came to running and he had the baseball team at a run for their money. Yamamoto was really awesome. The coach would have to be a fool to not pick him.

After two hours passed the try-outs were finally done. The audience was left in suspense of who was chosen for the team, since the coach was still considering what he saw. As everyone exited the bleachers, Tsuna and Gokudera went over to congratulate Yamamoto on his great display of athleticism.

"Wasn't Yamamoto-san great, Gokudera-san?" Tsuna asked as they walked toward the field.

"He was okay." Gokudera grumbled. He would never praise the guy, who threatened to take his Tenth away from him.

"He was better than okay. He was better than everyone else. Yamamoto-san will surely make the team. I know it." Tsuna said happily.

"Guys!" They looked up as they heard Yamamoto call out to them. The baseball fanatic ran over to Gokudera and Tsuna with his normal silly smile on his face. He then gave them the news, while he scratched the back of his head. "Well, I made the team."

Tsuna gave Yamamoto his sweet smile and said, "Congratulations, Yamamoto-san, your hard work paid off. I knew you would make the team."

"I guess so…" He agreed laughing a bit. He had been working hard to get on the team but there one thing that pushed him even further. "But it was also thanks to Tsuna too."

"Huh?" Tsuna said confused.

"I did my best because of your great motto. I really wanted to do my best for the school and myself. How did you put it? I used my dying will." He said laughing even more. It was a weird expression but it worked.

The mascot placed up his hands defensively, trying to stop the other's praises. "It wasn't great at all…it came off the top of my head. Don't congratulate me for something like that."

"Why not? Either way it was a good slogan. Plus, you make a very cute mascot." The baseball fanatic smiled lovingly at Tsuna as if he was some proud parent.

"No, I don't." He continued to deny those compliments that everyone was giving him.

"Yes, you do." He said ruffling the other's hair as if trying to convince the other that way.

"Hey! Stop touching the Tenth!" Gokudera glared at Yamamoto and he began to grow more angrily as Yamamoto laughed in his face and continued. He then stopped, when Tsuna removed the other's hand from his hair.

"Maybe we should celebrate. Isn't tomorrow Friday?" He looked to both Gokudera and Yamamoto. "I heard you can go off campus during the weekend. There's a small town nearby, there should be something we can do."

"That's a great idea, Tenth." Gokudera smiled happily. "We can celebrate your success as a mascot."

"And for Yamamoto getting on the baseball team as well." The mascot added. "Well, I have to return the clothes and flag to the student council office. I'll see you guys later."

"Do you want us to go with you, Tsuna?" Yamamoto asked. He was kind of worried about him going on his own. He was such a sensation during the try-out; he wouldn't be surprised if he was approached by some of the guys.

Tsuna shook his head. He was sure both of them were tired. Gokudera had just gotten out of the infirmary and he spent most of his time acting as a bodyguard for him. And Yamamoto had been practicing nonstop and he just finished doing a tiresome try-out. He didn't want to burden his friends with something so minimal. "I'll be fine. Namimori is very safe." He said comforting the two but he was really thinking otherwise, mostly about his recent attack from Mukuro. "I'll be careful."

"Alright, Tsuna. See you back at the dorms." He said as he reluctantly watched his friend leave.

"Be careful, Tenth!" Gokudera agreed grudgingly as Tsuna walked off heading to the student council office. His eyes then turned to Yamamoto. "I'm going to wait for the Tenth to come back. You better not be there."

"I can't let you have all the fun." He laughed as he followed Gokudera back to the Sky Dorms.

* * *

Tsuna slipped into the Student Council Office finding it empty. He was hoping to see Byakuran or Shouichi but they were nowhere in sight. He walked into the room, hoping that he wasn't trespassing. He quickly changed from his mascot uniform into his Namimori school uniform. He set the outfit back into the walk in closet that was full of the costumes that Byakuran wanted him to wear for other events. He also left the Namimori flag against the wall of the closet.

As soon as he left the closet, he began to feel immensely tired. He hadn't been able to sleep for the two days since Mukuro visited him. He guessed he was finally tired out by the events of the day. He wiped at his heavy eyes. He felt he was going collapse into a state of slumber at any moment. Tsuna wanted to wait for Byakuran to come back but he couldn't do that if he went back to the Sky dorm. He decided that he would wait for the president in the lounge. He would be able to take a short nap and he positive that the student council president would wake him up, when he saw him. He takes his place on the long beige couch and laid his body out. The couch was so soft and comfortable, it didn't take Tsuna long to fall into a deep slumber.

A few minutes later, a dark figure entered the Student Council lounge. Immediately, this dark character saw the sleeping boy on the couch and approached him. The figure stood by the couch, watching the small boy sleep. It didn't take the other long to take Tsuna into his arms, balancing his body almost perfectly. Even as this mysterious person picked him up, Tsuna laid in his arms undisturbed. Tsuna was a very heavy sleeper. His mother always had a hard time waking him up for school when he went to junior high. The young boy never grew out of it now and even as he was placed into a very dangerous situation, he was fast asleep. Tsuna had totally disconnected himself to the world around him and now he was vulnerable to this stranger. The dark figure then left the student council as quickly as he came in, taking the young Tsunayoshi along with him.

Chapter Six End

* * *

Notes:

Behind the nicknames:

Byakuran nicknames Spanner, Otachan because Spanner loves a lot of things about Japanese culture that can be considered Otaku. I was going to put in a scene where Byakuran was losing at Metal Gear Solid, which has a character named Otacon…who is very similar to Spanner. Since they both liked robots and the Japanese culture. Maybe I'll still do it. So that's why I came up with Otachan instead of Span-chan. Plus, I didn't like Span-chan and everyone else's nicknames were getting obvious as well. Surprise!

Same means shark in Japanese. Squalo is shark in Italian. So that's why Squalo is nicknamed Same-chan. Please don't pronounce it in a similar way as the English word same, because it just sounds weird.

Byakuran calls Mukuro, Kuro-chan because Muku-chan and Mu-chan doesn't sound nice (well to me anyway). I was thinking of call him pineapple but the Japanese word is spelled Painappuru. Imagine if I wrote this…I know horrifying, right?

Namimori School Year:

Some of you might be confused by the conversation during the student council meeting. I would like to clarify that most Japanese schools start their new semesters in the spring, Namimori is no different. Let's say they started school in late march. So they have five months to get 35,000 dollars. Not bad.

* * *

Omake – How Byakuran and Spanner spend their quality time together…

Tsuna: **squeezes** someone must be talking about me…

Meanwhile…

Byakuran: Otachan, how is it coming along?

Spanner: It's finished.

Byakuran: Finally!! **smiles** Did you put that in it? And that scene we talked about it? How about the rating?!

Spanner: Yes, I placed in the handcuffs. I put in the student council office scene. The rating is NC-17. The Namimori All Boys School Yaoi Doujinshi is done…my best work yet. **Hands him a very thick book**

Byakuran: I can't wait to read it. What are the pairings?

Spanner: 5927, 8027, 1827, 6927, D27, 4827, X27, 10027, 182769 and last but not least 27 as the seme. Now about payment…

Byakuran: Really!! 27 as the Seme?! **Grins and then frowns** Oh right…your services sure are expensive. **Gives him a bag full of lollipops **My pockets always feel lighter around you.

Spanner: If you don't like the price…you can find someone else.

Byakuran: No…no. I wouldn't stray. **Cracks open the fresh new doujinshi** Oh yes! 27's **beep** is being **beeped **(You can use your imagination)

Elsewhere….

Tsuna: **sneezes six times in a row** Oh no! That means someone is reading a doujinshi about me!!

Omake end – Tsuna must experience this all the time

* * *

Author's Notes: Xanxus and Squalo's relationship is special and different. I still don't understand this pair, even with their background story from the original manga. Ah well. I hoped you liked this chapter. I worked on this night and day. If I went outside, I'll carry a notebook and jot notes down. I'm always thinking of this fanfiction, so this is why I've already came up with an ending. However, this might change, since I haven't gotten close to finishing the fanfiction yet. I guess we will have to wait and see. Thank you for your reviews of the previous chapters. I hope that you will continue to read and support this Fanfiction. Always show you care by reviewing my work. Hits are nice to see but reviews are much better. I also would like to thank Mithras151 again for checking this chapter. I'll stop writing now.


	7. Tsuna the Stolen

Hungry for Tsuna

A Katekyo Hitman Reborn Fanfiction

Disclaimer: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn. Akira Amano does and you should give her credit for it.

Author's Note: So you guys don't like Mukuro's nickname? Should we have a poll then? I wouldn't mind, I'm not feeling very creative at the moment to think of a better nickname. Just let me know. I started off this chapter with Gokudera and Yamamoto. You can see slight 8059 if you squint or if you're really good at reading between the lines. Tsuna usually claims most of the fanfic but I decided to write other point of views. I did this with Hibari in chapter three but I wasn't sure how well received that was. Thank you, Mithras151 for checking this chapter!! Well, enough of my blabbering. Without further delay, Chapter Seven of Hungry for Tsuna, Tsuna the Stolen.

Tsuna the Stolen summary: Yamamoto and Gokudera have a heart to heart. Tsuna befriends his abductor. Dino makes a special appearance!!

* * *

Chapter Seven: Tsuna the Stolen

"I thought I told you not to show up!!" The disgruntled terrorist spat as he watched as the baseball fanatic approached him with his usual goofy smile. Gokudera was waiting patiently for Tsuna by his room door, and he wasn't too excited about his rival coming to bother him.

"Don't be like that." The dark haired boy chortled. From what he saw, Gokudera was more irritated then he normally was. Yamamoto didn't think his hostility was only directed towards him, Yamamoto guessed he was worried for Tsuna. It was apparent that their friend had not come back as of yet, even if an hour had already passed. Yamamoto was forced to confess he was a bit concerned as well. He had a feeling that he should have gone with Tsuna, even though the brunette had insisted that he would be fine on his own. He tried to relieve his own worry by trying to talk to Gokudera, who didn't want anything to do with him at all.

Yamamoto took a sit next to Tsuna's door, while Gokudera stood on the other side of the doorframe. "Tsuna was really cute today, wasn't he?" Yamamoto asked the silver haired bomber.

Gokudera was trying to focus at a single spot in the wall in front of him. Anything was more interesting than the idiot that currently sat by him. "Yeah…" He reluctantly answered.

The baseball fanatic laughed nervously. "To tell you the truth, I thought I wasn't going to make the team."

"Che…" Gokudera made an annoyed sound, showing how he didn't want to hear the other's sob story. He didn't even want the other near him, or as close as he was. "I don't give a shit."

Yamamoto really wanted the other to listen to him. He could never tell this to Tsuna, as the other would totally ignore his feelings and try to convince him otherwise. He was sure that if he told someone, even if it was Gokudera, that they would be able to understand what he was saying. He had nothing against Gokudera personally; the only thing that bothered Yamamoto was his relationship with Tsuna. But then there were a lot of people that Tsuna had become friends with and it wasn't his style to get all riled up about something as innocent and harmless as that.

Despite Gokudera's refusal to listen to him, Yamamoto continued. "I always thought that baseball was my life. So I placed all my energy into it. It was something I was good at and I liked the praise when I rose above everyone's expectations. However, lately…it doesn't move me the same way. Before I attended Namimori, practicing was never so hard for me. I could always go beyond my limits along as I had the drive to do so. But, this past week has been difficult for me to practice. I was never satisfied because it seemed as if my skills were lowering day by day. So I trained and trained but it was the results became worse. So I was nervous about the try-out today. I was expecting that I wouldn't make the team at all because of how poor I had be doing in my training. I was even thinking of leaving. That was until…I saw Tsuna. It made me immensely happy that he had came, although he was also being mascot as well. I was already empowered by his slogan but what really pulled me over was him wishing me luck. I really wanted to do my best for him. He was watching me and hoping that would get into the team, I couldn't let him down. So I meant it when I said it was because of him, that I got on to him." Yamamoto finished and he kind of expected for Gokudera to curse him out because he kept blabbering. The baseball fanatic was a bit surprised when he saw the silver haired boy brooding over something.

"The tenth's eyes were on you the whole time. He would always compliment your shitty plays." The silver haired terrorist grumbled, getting a bad taste in his mouth for consoling the idiot. "He thought you were the best."

"Really?" Yamamoto smiled happily. "But you know…Tsuna was worried about you too."

"Huh?" Gokudera's green eyes turned to the baseball freak as he became more interested on what the baseball idiot had to say.

Yamamoto looked to Gokudera. "He would ask about you a lot, when you were in the infirmary. I was kind of jealous that my time with Tsuna was being interrupted by questions about you."

"The tenth was worried about me?" He said, thinking back to earlier that day when he had saw the Tenth outside of the Sky Dorm. The other seemed really relieved that he was out of the infirmary. The thought that Tsuna was worried about him that much made him happy. It made him even happier that Yamamoto's precious time with Tsuna was interrupted by thoughts of him. That was just icing on the cake.

The dark haired boy nodded. "But Tsuna has a lot of other friends too. I heard he was good friends with the school's student president."

"Yeah, the fucking clown. I don't like that guy." The terrorist huffed. He remembered seeing Tsuna with the president earlier that day at the try-outs. It pissed him off seeing that joke of a person hanging around his tenth. Although, Byakuran had not touched Tsuna at all, Gokudera felt he was too close to his tenth. Too close for comfort.

Yamamoto was amused by how the terrorist described the student president. _Now that he mentions it…he kind of does look like a clown. _The baseball fanatic thought to himself. He then chuckled. "So you do hate everyone…"

The silver haired terrorist turned to the laughing baseball idiot. It was true that he didn't like many people but that was beside the point. "Shut up you bastard! It's not that. There is just something about him that makes me uncomfortable!" He yelled at Yamamoto

"Uncomfortable?" Yamamoto questioned, his smile never wavering. He had never met Byakuran but he kind of understood what Gokudera meant. There was something a bit off about the student president.

"I just don't want him around the Tenth!" Gokudera scowled, crossing his arms over his chest.

Yamamoto didn't think Gokudera wanted anyone around the tenth but he had to admit, he felt the same way. The student president was a very strange person. He was a little nervous about Tsuna hanging around such an enigmatic person. "Dino told me that last year, there this huge incident that happened here."

The terrorist's scowl deepened. "Yeah I heard about that too. A bunch of students tried to overthrow the principal or something like that. "

"Some people think that Byakuran was involved somehow." Yamamoto smiled nervously, wondering if he should have told Gokudera or not.

"What?!" Silver haired boy shouted.

The baseball fanatic shrugged his shoulders. "But there's no proof of that."

"Bastard, are you blind?! That's enough proof for me! Now, I don't want the Tenth hanging around that fucker anymore!" Gokudera believed that guilt was written all over the student president's face. To the silver haired terrorist the student president's smile screamed "I did something but no one will ever know" and that was enough proof for Gokudera to persecute the other as a bad seed.

Yamamoto smiled. "Tsuna seems like a very forgiving person. Even if that was the case…"

"I know! The tenth is too kind!" Gokudera sighed, as he punched the wall. His fist remained against the hard surface for a few moments before he allowed his appendage fall to his side.

Yamamoto watched Gokudera as he punched the wall. He thought the other was getting a little overexcited. They had never met the student president and they were already jumping to conclusions about him. He was positive that Tsuna would be upset with them for not giving Byakuran a chance. Who were they to judge the type of people Tsuna chose to associate with? Yamamoto decided the only possible solution that he and Gokudera could agree on. "It'll be fine. You and I will be there to protect him, right?"

"I'll protect the Tenth with my own strength." He declared. But in that small fracture of a second, Gokudera began to think sensibly. He was only one person and although his skill of dynamite was good, there were people with better techniques and weaponry. The silver haired terrorist reluctantly turned his attention to Yamamoto. "But…if I can't do it…I'm counting on you not to fuck up! But I doubt it will ever come to that!"

Yamamoto was surprised by Gokudera's last sentence. He had expected the other not to accept his help. He smiled. "Then, I won't let you down. I wouldn't let Tsuna down."

"Good." He said quietly and then barked. "And don't think I'll be okay with you touching the Tenth! You keep your fucking hands off of him, you bastard!"

"Huh? Isn't that a bit much? You can't tell you rival what he can and can not do." The dark haired boy grinned.

Gokudera continued to frown and then shook his fist at Yamamoto, in an attempt to scare the other. "You better listen to me! You will unless you don't want to keep that shitty life of yours."

Yamamoto's grin grew. He couldn't help it, Gokudera knew how to place on a good show. "I'll try."

"Do more than try, bastard!" The silver haired terrorist growled, hating that the other was just grinning at him. He wasn't intimidating this person at all and that angered him even more. He hoped that Tsuna would hurry up and come, so he wouldn't have to look at that idiot's face any longer.

* * *

Tsuna was woken up by a familiar aroma. His brain tried to decipher the scent and slowly he recognized what it was. _Tea?_ He thought to himself. _Green tea_. He confirmed. His mother had always been a fan of tea. She would something treat herself to a new flavor. It was her way of pampering herself. However, Japanese Green Tea has always been her favorite, no matter how many teas she tried it always remained on top. This aroma stirred many memories of home within the freshman that he couldn't help but be homesick. He could almost envision his mother behind the darkness of his eyes. Tsuna could see her carefree smile, which both belittled and encouraged him. He opened his eyes in hopes that he would be back home but his tawny eyes revealed to him that he was not at home…nor was he in the student council office anymore.

The brunette sat up trying to figure out where he was. His surrounding was so unfamiliar to him. _Where am I?_ He mused as he searched the room with his eyes. It was such a weird room. The room was lit in this eerie green light, making the room seem spooky. The air was cold and damp making Tsuna believe that he was in some kind of basement or a cave. However, despite the lighting and the feel of the place, it was a regular dorm room, albeit much larger than his own room. Tsuna believed that he was in a room on the seventh floor of the Sky Dorm, since the rooms were bigger on the top floor of the student dormitory.

Tsuna looked around to find himself on an ordinary looking brown couch. Across from where he sat was a matching couch. In between the two tables was a small table. To the right of this set up was a mini-fridge and on top were tea containers, a hot water dispenser and lollipops?! Tsuna could honestly say that this was the neatest place in the entire room. The rest of the room was littered with gadgets and gizmos, nuts and bolts, wrenches and screwdrivers. The walls were bare and there was nothing exciting about them. What looked like a desk was covered with scrap metal, wires and more tools. The rest of the furniture in the room followed the same sloppy pattern. It was hard to distinguish anything because of the amount of junk that covered them. Tsuna doubted that anyone slept here since there wasn't even a bed here. He was almost positive that if he opened one of the drawers, there wouldn't be clothes but more hardware equipment. He felt as if he was in a toolbox rather than an actually dorm room. He wondered who was insane enough to live in this?!

Tsuna then got up from the couch and noticed someone in the corner of the room. For moments, Tsuna watched but he couldn't figure out if he knew this person. The person was so far away and his back was turned from him. However, he could still recognize the back of the Namimori school uniform and that relieved him to know that he was a student's room rather than some strange person's. His abductor seemed to be working on something and he wasn't sure how to gain the other's attention. After contemplating what to do for several moments, he decided to go with a direct approach.

"Um…excuse me." He started trying to gain the other's attention. However, the other didn't stir. It seemed he didn't hear him. Tsuna was about to open his mouth and try again but he heard his reply.

"What?" the strange person answered.

Tsuna overlooked the slightly rude response. "W-who are you?"

The stranger turned to Tsuna, revealing that he was in fact a Namimori student. However the other's uniform was kind of messy with dirt and perhaps oil. His sleeves were rolled up to his elbows but his hands were protected by heavy looking brown gloves. The stranger was blonde and his hair was styled in a way so that part of his bangs curled off to the side. From what Tsuna could see the other had almond shaped eyes but he couldn't determine the color. There was a stick, hanging out of the side of his mouth which he assumed was a toothpick. However, as Tsuna continued to observe this stranger, he realized that it was a lollipop stick and not a toothpick. "Spanner." The blonde voiced.

"Spanner-san?" Tsuna repeated remembering that this was the person who had created his mascot outfit. He looked around thinking to find fabrics, threads, needles and scissors among the gadgets and gizmos that littered Spanner's room but saw none. It was hard to believe that his costume maker also was into this kind of stuff as well. "Byakuran-san mentioned you. He said that you were the one who created my mascot costume. I guess, I should be thanking you. It was done very nicely and it was comfortable."

"That outfit was okay. The next one will be much better." The blonde mechanic said as he removed his gloves and stood up from his makeshift workstation.

Tsuna frowned. "Huh? But the last one was great too."

Spanner shrugged. "It's my personal policy to keep improving things I create. The outfit that you wore today is obsolete."

"Obsolete?" Tsuna said confused. He was wondering why Spanner was talking like that. Tsuna figured he managed to find another weird one.

The brunette watched as his blonde captor walked over to small, less chaotic part of the room and made himself some tea. To Tsuna's surprise the blonde also made a cup for him and handed it to him. He accepted it and automatically knew what it was. It was the green tea that he had smelled earlier. He then looked to Spanner who took a seat opposite him. The freshman sat in silence and then decided to make conversation. "So you like Green tea?"

"I love everything Japanese." Spanner said shamelessly.

_Byakuran-san was right…he is a mega otaku._ He thought to himself. "Why?" Tsuna inquired.

The blonde shrugged. "Many reasons but what really attracted me to Japan was the robotics technology. I've always been amazed by robots. Plus, no one would belittle me for wanting to make a career out of it."

_Well, I wouldn't say it was normal. _ Tsuna considered in his mind. However, he admitted that Japan had a lot of liberties that many other people didn't have. But even in this country, things like social class, gender and education still mattered. Although, Japan was different from most countries, in some ways it was still restricting. Tsuna came out of his own thoughts. "Where do you come from?"

Spanner placed on a more forlorn expression. "A place where the world moves by money and destruction…"

Tsuna blinked. "Huh?"

"That's why I also like Namimori, it's very calm here." Spanner said with a smile.

"That's true. Everyone seems pretty carefree for the most part." Tsuna agreed. He looked into the murky greenness of the tea in his hands. Something else had been bothering him. He looked up at the blonde mechanic. "Spanner-san, why am I here?"

"I needed a template." He said simply.

"Template?" Tsuna repeated. He didn't take too lightly to being referred to as a template; it made him feel like an object.

Spanner nodded, placing his cup of tea on to the table in front of him. "Up till now, I have only heard of you. So it's been pretty difficult for me to do your outfits."

"I see." He smiled, even though he was thinking that was a poor excuse to kidnap him. Tsuna wondered what happened to a simple hello. Nevertheless, the brunette was sure that Spanner wasn't going to harm him. He felt that he was a good person. "Then….it's nice to meet you, Spanner-san."

"Ditto…" Spanner replied.

Tsuna soon found out that Spanner wasn't much of a conversationalist. Although, he really wanted to know more about Spanner, Tsuna didn't think the blonde mechanic was keen on giving up his life story to him even if he asked. The freshman didn't want to pry instead he brought up another issue that troubled him. "Spanner-san? Why are all of your outfits….girl costumes? It's no offense to you but I don't want to dress up like a girl all the time."

Spanner looked to Tsuna with new interest. His almond shaped eyes slightly widen with surprise. "Oh? Wasn't it Byakuran who suggested the idea? He said that was what you preferred."

_So it's the pervert's doing!! _Tsuna grimaced at the very thought that the student president wanting him to wear girl costumes in the first place. He sighed."Then can I make a request? Please make less feminine costumes for me."

The blonde treasurer considered Tsuna's request. The brunette watched in panic as Spanner mulled over the idea in his head and he was relieved when the other smiled. "That would be interesting to see."

Tsuna could already tell that Spanner was intrigued by his suggestion. It was almost as if he could see the wheels turning in the other's head. "Do you really like making costumes for me?"

"It's not that. I guess in the end…I'm just like everyone else." The mechanic said as he smiled warmly at the younger boy. "I found you to be very fascinating, Tsunayoshi."

"Fascinating?" The petite brunette questioned. In the back of his head, he felt the other was referring to him as some kind of specimen but he ignored this allegation for his better health. He didn't think he was worth being called fascinating. He wasn't something to write home about. He was just plain old Tsuna. "But I'm not anything like that. I'm pretty pathetic. It's everyone else that is more interesting. Spanner-san as well."

Tsuna had this hate and love relationship with the school. There was times where he was completely engulfed by everything and then there were moments where he wanted to hide away from it. He had to admit that Namimori was an interesting place. What made it even more interesting were the people. In all his life he has never met so many different people with bizarre personalities to match. It also amused him that all these clashing personalities could live and learn under one roof. This school was so zany at times but at other times it was so orderly, it was as if he was attending a normal school with ordinary students. He didn't enjoy all of his experiences as of yet, but if given the chance to go back in time and change his fate, he wouldn't.

The brunette sipped his tea and then stared into the murkiness for some time, thinking about all the different people has had met thus far. "Everyone else seems to forget that they have their own charm too. I wish they would stop paying attention to mine." He then looked up and smiled warmly at Spanner. Soon Tsuna's smile faltered a bit as Spanner gazed at him with widened eyes. "Did I say something wrong?" He asked the blonde.

Tsuna watched as Spanner shook his head, relieving him the thought that he had offended the Student council treasurer. "No….it's just…I think I like Namimori even more now."

"Oh? Why is that?" The brunette freshman inquired.

"Because Tsunayoshi is here." The blonde treasurer responded as he got up from his seat.

"Huh?" Tsuna exclaimed he was perplexed by the other's declaration. His tawny eyes watched as the blonde mechanic came towards him and grabbed him. "Spanner-san?! What are you doing?!

"Otachan! Is it finished yet?" The white haired student president burst in through the door. His violet eyes observed what was happening on the couch. Spanner seemed to have Tsuna on his lap, restraining the other by wrapping a hand around his waist and another hand on the smaller boy's throat. The treasurer's lips were only a few inches from his beloved mascot's. Byakuran's mind slowly processed what was taking place. "What are you doing to my Tsu-chan?!"

"Byakuran-san…" Tsuna looked to his savior. He felt as Spanner's grip on his small frame loosened up at the sight of the student president.

"Otachan, haven't I taught you anything? If you're going to seduce Tsu-chan at least lock the door. You're such an amateur." The student president admonished Spanner.

_Whose side is he on?_ He thought to himself, appalled by his perverted student president's comments. "What?!" Tsuna exclaimed.

"I'm just kidding. Any person that threatens to take my Tsu-chan away is my enemy after all." Byakuran replied warmly. He then leans on the back of the couch that Tsuna and Spanner were sitting on. "Otachan, must had gotten excited when he saw you Tsu-chan. I told you everyone adores you. I'm jealous. It must be nice to be swept away."

Tsuna frowned at Byakuran. The brunette believed that the student president was not in the same world he was. However, he was grateful for Byakuran coming in the nick of time before anything escalated.

"Byakuran…it's finished." Spanner seemed to get interested in what he was working on before.

The student president looked to his treasurer with interest. "Is it? Wow! Otachan has been working so hard for me." He then turned to Tsuna, his smile never wavering. "Well, you've been released out of Otachan's clutches. Aren't your friends waiting for you?"

Tsuna was kind of curious on what Byakuran and Spanner were discussing. He noticed that they were using very vague words to respond to each other and even though, he had no reason to be here, he felt that Byakuran was pushing him out. However, Tsuna no longer pursued the topic after remembering about Yamamoto and Gokudera. "That's right. I've got to go." He said as he got up from Spanner's lap and headed for the door. However the brunette stopped feeling that he forgot something. He turned to Spanner. "Spanner-san, I look forward to your next costume." His tawny eyes looked to the smiling face of the student president. "Bye, Byakuran-san."

And with that Tsuna hastily left the room leaving the student president and his treasurer behind. Byakuran waited for a while to confirm that Tsuna had really left the premises. Although, he knew that Tsuna would be too distracted by the mere thought of his friends worrying about him that Tsuna wouldn't even bother to spy on them. The thought would never cross the simpleton's mind and that was why Tsuna was a good boy.

"What was Tsu-chan doing here?" Byakuran questioned, without turning to look at Spanner. "That was careless on your part."

"He didn't seem to notice it." Spanner assured the student president.

"I'm not worried about that. Tsu-chan is a very sociable person. He was too absorbed in making you his friend and thanking you than what you were doing." The white haired student president spoke with a hint of laughter, although it didn't reach his violet eyes. "He's very simple-minded you know. If Tsu-chan had any idea of what I'm up to….then he would be very disappointed."

Spanner frowned, making the lollipop stick that stuck out of his mouth limp slightly. "So you knew I was the one who abducted him?"

Byakuran shrugged his shoulders and sighed. "He's such a troublesome person. And he always gets into these types of situations. Probably as he races to met his friends I'm sure he'll get interloped by someone." He then grinned at Spanner, showing the other that he wasn't mad at him. "Everyone wants to gobble up my Tsu-chan. Tsu-chan has this special power over people. I refer to it as 'Moe' rays…once you've been zapped by Tsu-chan's Moe rays, you lose total control."

"'Moe rays'?" Spanner questioned. "Then…"

"I can't do what you're suggesting." Byakuran chuckled with his all knowing smile. "The sky needs to be free after all. Plus, he makes a pretty good distraction. Everyone's eyes are on Tsu-chan. And thanks to you, he's the talk of the school. This is a good opportunity for us."

* * *

Tsuna ran down the steps of the fifth floor staircase. He wasn't used to coming down from the seventh floor and he soon realized how far it was from the first floor. It was taking him a long time to get down to his desired floor. The brunette continued to rapidly race down the steps but the last step of the staircase was a bit tricky causing him to trip over his own footing. Tsuna stumbled clumsily onto the fourth floor of the Sky Dorm. Although, he was glad that he had not fallen upon his face after tripping over that last step, his bad luck brought him an even worse fate. His tawny eyes caught sight of the red and gold disciplinary committee armband and he knew he was in trouble.

"Hi-Hibari-san…" Tsuna squeaked as his eyes flew on the menacing disciplinary prefect. A blush slowly crept up to his cheeks as he remembered that this was the person, who stole away his first kiss. Although, Hibari wanted him to forget all about it, he couldn't. It was one of those memories that you could never erase from your memory no matter how hard you tried. The brunette watched as the infamous prefect walked his way.

"It's against the rules to wander around the halls after curfew." Hibari said as he walked over to Tsuna.

"I see. Well, I didn't mean to break the rules." He placed his hands up as if to show the other he was innocent, unarmed and harmless. "I'm heading back to my room, right now."

"I can't let you go that easily." The prefect stated. "Didn't you say that talking to you is useless? I have to beat it into you for you understand, right?"

Tsuna turned paled as he realized that words he had said to the other a few days ago were thrown right back him. He had said that but it was a different circumstance. He only wanted Hibari to hit him, to prove that he was wrong from oppressing the students of the school with his "discipline". Now Hibari was warping the meaning of his words for his own benefit. Tsuna didn't know which was the lesser of two evils, getting bitten to death or eating his own words.

"That is what I said." He confirmed. He couldn't take back his words not after he was trying to prove a point. He wouldn't allow the other make him eat his own words. He still felt that his justice was immoral and if he must be a martyr of some sort he didn't mind. "I broke the rules."

"Stupid herbivore…" Hibari was starting to think that Tsuna was masochist of some sort. He had been expecting the other to reject his own words and try to get himself out of being beaten, but instead he had decided to be brave. He couldn't understand this person at all. Tsuna was a weak person but sometimes he would spark up some sort of fire and fight back. Hibari wasn't afraid of Tsuna, he wasn't afraid of anything. It just piqued his interest and that was it.

"Huh? Aren't you going to hit me?" Tsuna looks at Hibari confused. He was expecting the prefect to retaliate in someway but he didn't move an inch from his spot.

"I'm tired. Later…"He yawned. He didn't feel like attacking the herbivore.

_So what was that whole thing about? _He thought to himself. He was tired? He never thought he would hear Hibari say he was too tired to beat someone up. Plus, if he was going to be hit, he wanted it to happen as soon as possible. Having his assault being detained scared him a bit more for some reason."But Hibari-san, I broke the rules. You're supposed to punish me."

"You're annoying." Hibari said bitterly. He then glares at Tsuna, who didn't know how to shut up. "Keep talking and I'll kill you."

"O-okay!" Tsuna squeaked, quivering in fear. He decided this was a good time to take his leave. If Hibari was going to let him go then, he shouldn't protest. However, it seemed wrong to him. This was Hibari's way, his discipline, why was he abandoning something he believed in for long for someone like him? Or perhaps the compliments he had received that day had gone to Tsuna's head and Hibari was actually too tired to be bothered with him.

Tsuna was about to move when the prefect spoke his name. "Sawada Tsunayoshi."

"Y-yes?" He answered looking up at the prefect, ending his thoughts of making an escape.

"Don't let that person crowd around you." Hibari told him very vaguely.

"Huh? That person?" Tsuna thought about it. There was probably one person that he didn't want him around. "Mukuro?"

Tsuna took the silence as a yes. He remembered that Mukuro had revealed to him a certain grudge he had with Hibari. Now, he could tell it wasn't a one-sided vendetta. Tsuna was curious on what had made the two turn into enemies. He wanted to ask the prefect what happened between them, but since Hibari was so temperamental already he didn't want to anger him. He could already tell that Hibari was trying to be a little nice to him and he didn't want to ruin it. He frowned realizing that Hibari has some knowledge of the "Mukuro" incident.

"Did he tell you what happened?" Tsuna asked nervously. Tsuna was hoping that no one would find out about Mukuro and his violation of his body. However, it seemed that Mukuro had other plans. The dark haired illusionist wanted the prefect to know what he was doing. Suddenly, Tsuna felt so embarrassed to stand in front of Hibari.

"Yes…" The dark-haired prefect said.

"I see." Tsuna felt even more embarrassed. He just wanted to go hide somewhere and not be under the scrutinizing eye of his school's disciplinary committee leader. He didn't know Mukuro very well but he was only guessing that the other tried to torture Hibari with every detail. Tsuna just placed on his bravest face that was all he could muster. Tsuna couldn't deny what had happened. He was a bad liar and he didn't want to deceive Hibari either. And the later would probably lead to a future assault from the prefect, so the freshman decided to go with the truth.

"I'll try not to allow it to happen again." Tsuna responded. It wasn't that he let Mukuro "crowd" around him. The illusionist was more cunning than he was. On their first encounter, he was fully in the other's grasp without realizing at all. How could he protect himself from someone who is always a step ahead of him "But Mukuro is very clever."

"And you're weak." Hibari commented.

_That's harsh!!_ Tsuna retorted in his mind. "That too." The brunette couldn't deny it. He was very weak. And it seemed like everyone in this school had some sort of weapon as well. He was starting to think this school wasn't all about academics but maybe about fighting. If this was true, he was definitely attending the wrong school. "All I can do is try."

Hibari was not convinced. "If he does ever come near you, then I'll bite you to death."

"Eeh?! Why do I have to get punished for something like that?!" Tsuna was baffled by the other's threat.

"Be quiet." Hibari ordered as he raising his tonfa up threatening to attack. Tsuna cowered even more. "If I threatened you, then you wouldn't just try. Anyone can try. But since your life is on the line, you'd do all you can to avoid that person."

_I think it's called scare tactics. _He thought to himself. He still thought it was unfair of Hibari to terrorize him and not Mukuro. It was not like he wanted Mukuro to pursue him. And wasn't it Hibari's fault anyway? Mukuro had it in his head that he was someone important to Hibari. This was not true since it seemed that the prefect only wanted to use him as a punching bag. Tsuna didn't know why the prefect was acting this way. He felt kind of angry and he wanted to lash out at the other in someway. And finally the words slipped from his words. "Hibari-san, you're just jealous!"

There was a long silence between them. Tsuna slowly realized what he had yelled at the other and Hibari found himself getting angrier by the second. The prefect then gave Tsuna a very ominous look that place chills down the young protagonist's spine. And it wasn't the good kind of chills either. Hibari shattered the silence. "What?"

_I think I just signed my will. _Tsuna thought in his mind."Eh…ah…um….you're going to kill me, aren't you?" He said trying to make his escape but the irate Hibari blocked his way with lightening speed. Tsuna knew he was in big trouble because of his big mouth. He began to wonder why he said that Hibari was jealous in the first place. Wasn't his brain getting enough oxygen to tell him that was a bad move to make? And what did he know about being jealous anyway? The brunette trembled as he was face to face with an angry Hibari Kyouya. Tsuna watched as Hibari rushed him about to land a blow on him. However, something latched on to his single tonfas before the metal weapon land a hit. Tsuna's eyes widen, noticing that Hibari's attack was halted by something that wrapped around the tonfa.

"A whip?" Tsuna exclaimed. He looked behind to see a familiar face. "Dino-san! "

"It seem like you needed help." Dino said with a warm smile towards Tsuna but when he looked at the enraged Hibari, his brown eyes turned a little cold. "Isn't it against the rules to make such a loud commotion at night? You'll disturb the students."

Hibari glared at Dino as he stopped his assault. However, Dino's words made him remember his duty and he dropped his tonfas, releasing them from the other's whip. "Rules are rules." He takes a moment to glare at Tsuna, which made the brunette's soul ooze out of his body. The dark-haired prefect stalked off in the opposite direction.

"I think I made an enemy." Tsuna said to himself, releasing the breath he had been holding the whole time. He felt like five years were taken from his lifespan just a second ago.

Dino watched the retreating figure of Hibari. He had never seen the prefect so livid before. As long as Dino had known Hibari, he had always showed a little emotion as possible. The only time, he saw Hibari this angry, was when he fought a losing fight with Mukuro. "Wow. Hibari was really angry. What happened?"

"It's a long story…" The brunette sighed.

Dino smiled and ushered the smaller boy forward. "Let's go back. I'm sure that the terrorist and Yamamoto are waiting for you."

Tsuna nodded and followed Dino back towards his room. "Dino-san, thank you for coming to my rescue."

"It's nothing really. Tsuna is kind of useless after all." The blonde upperclassmen said as he placed his hands into his pants pockets.

"I guess so…" The brunette couldn't deny the truth. Although most people could not protect themselves against Hibari, at least they were able to put up a fight. All he could do is tremble in fear.

Dino noticed that Tsuna was a bit down. "But that's okay because you have a lot of people willing to protect you."

"Protect me?" Tsuna repeated. He then thought about Gokudera and how earnestly he wanted to protect him. He never understood why his life and safety was so important to his friend. They barely knew each other. Without noticing, Tsuna asked. "But why?"

The blonde upperclassmen looked to Tsuna surprised. "You mean…you haven't noticed."

"Noticed what?" Tsuna looked up to Dino. His face was genuinely confused.

"So it's true what they say, you are thickheaded." Dino laughed.

"Eh?" He frowned becoming even more confused as the conversation progressed. "What do you mean by that?"

Dino shook his head, refusing to tell the other anything. "Nevermi-" Before he could finish his sentence, the upperclassmen tripped on his own foot and fell ungracefully to the floor.

"Dino-san! Are you okay?" The brunette asked concerned.

_That so wasn't cool_-_looking_ Dino thought to himself as he got back on his feet as quickly as he had fallen. "Yea. I just tripped on something. Must have been a loose tile…"

"A loose tile?" Tsuna frowned. "That's bad. Maybe we should tell the school. It would be bad if someone else tripped over it."

"Yeah…I guess so." The blonde said slowly, trying to regain any composure he had left. He decided to quickly change the subject, so they wouldn't continue to talk about what just occurred. He smiled. "I saw you today. You make a cute girl."

"I knew it! Now everyone thinks I'm a cross-dresser!" Tsuna squeaked as his humiliation consumed him.

Dino watched as the freshman's expression turned from worried to depressed. The other made such cute expression that he couldn't help but be amused. Instead of fueling Tsuna's flames of mortification, he decided to console him. "No…I wouldn't say that. We don't see you as a cross-dresser, Tsuna. We see you as our hope. Didn't you know that this school is full of misfits?"

The young brunette was pulled out of his thoughts and looked to the taller upperclassmen. "Misfits?" He repeated.

"Seemingly this school has no particular criteria for selection of students. However, the students who attend this school have actually been selected by the principal." The blonde upperclassmen explained.

"The principal?" Tsuna inquired further.

"Yeah. It's strange but no one has really seen the principal outside or even in school. So it is a high possibility that we've all met this man before. It makes me kind of nervous to think about it. Knowing that you've been recruited by a stalker." Dino laughed.

"That's not funny." Tsuna didn't see the humor in that at all. Had the principal been watching him all this time? He began to wonder what the principal saw in him. As far as he knew, he'd been a loser his entire life. Unless, he was interested on how he royally sucked in life, that was the only conclusion that Tsuna could make. It baffled him that the principal would choose him to come here. Everyone else he had met was more interesting, stronger and even smarter. Compared to everyone else he was ordinary. He didn't have special skills; actually he didn't have many skills to begin with.

Dino continued. "But the principal only picks people that pique his interest. He has a knack for selecting really weird people."

"I see….that makes a lot of sense." Tsuna agreed, he never seen such a mix of people before. "But isn't it expensive to come here? I have no idea how much my parents paid to come here."

The dirty blonde shrugged his shoulders. "Tuition isn't that expensive. It's probably the same as any regular high school."

Tsuna's eyes widen with this new revelation. "Are you serious? But…"

"The principal really wants people to come to the school. I heard he funds the school out of his own pocket." Dino smiled.

"I see…it sounds like the Principal is really nice. I would like to meet him." Tsuna smiled genuinely.

"Well, you may be able to, if you keep hanging around the Student Council. They're the only ones who have seen the Principal, since he uses the student council to communicate to the students." The golden blonde said stuffed his hands into his pockets once more.

The brunette smiled even more brightly. "So that's why the Student Council is so important to the school!"

"Maybe. But I think it's more than that." The blonde upperclassmen said darkly. The smile was completely wiped off of his face and all that was left was an expression of seriousness.

"Huh?" Tsuna looked at Dino curiously. The other seemed to know a lot about the school, even if he was in his second year.

"Well, I wouldn't worry your little head about it." Dino grinned as he placed a hand on Tsuna's head and began to ruffle his hair. "It'll be too much for you to handle."

"Dino-san." He said lifting the other's hand off of his head. Dino always treated him like a little kid, always teasing and playing.

"Anyway, isn't your room down this hallway?" Dino said pointed to a familiar hallway. When Tsuna looked down, he could see Yamamoto and Gokudera arguing...well, the silver haired terrorist seemed to be doing the most of the yelling while the baseball fanatic just laughed at him.

The brunette sighed, wishing that his loyal silver haired friend wasn't so loud. He turned back to Dino. "Yeah…" Tsuna confirmed. "Thank you again, Dino-san. Would you like to come out with us tomorrow? We're going into town to celebrate Yamamoto getting on to the baseball team."

"An invitation from Tsuna? I don't think I could refuse even if I tried." The blonde wrapped his arms around the smaller boy's shoulders. Dino then slowly smiled as he was only inches away from Tsuna's blushing face. "Of course I'll come." He said as he slowly leaned in to give the brunette a good night kiss.

However, Dino's kiss was interrupted by the observant eye of Gokudera. The silver haired freshman shouted, "Bastard! What are you doing so close to the tenth?!"

The blonde, who now had Tsuna trapped in his grasp lazily looked at the other's loud companion. "I'm just giving Tsuna some brotherly love." He answered.

_Brotherly love?_ Tsuna thought in his mind and then took this opportunity to release himself from the upperclassman's hold. "Then I will see you tomorrow, then." He said to Dino as he ran over to his now pissed friend. He started panicking as the silver haired boy had dynamite that was already ignited in his grasps and ready to fling them at the upperclassmen. "Gokudera-san please calm down…you'll wake everyone up."

Gokudera roared, readying to attack Dino for trying to violate his precious Tenth. "I'll kill the fucker!"

"Oi! Dino, don't worry about Gokudera. He hates everyone." Yamamoto chimed in waving to his friend. He didn't seem to mind at all that the blonde tried to kiss his love interest; he was more entertained by Gokudera's frustration towards whole occurrence than anything else.

"No one fucking asked you!" Gokudera barked at Yamamoto.

"Heh…don't worry, Yamamoto. I'm not intimidated by a pup like him." Dino provoked the infuriated terrorist even further.

Tsuna frowned wishing that the other had not said anything at all. "Dino-san…you're not helping."

An even more enraged Gokudera retorted. "What was that?! I'll blow your limbs apart you fucking bastard!"

Chapter Seven End

* * *

Author's note: Sorry, there is no omake this time. And no cliffhanger…so you have no idea what I'm planning for next chapter. I hoped you liked this chapter. There were more hints to the bigger plot of Hungry for Tsuna but not enough for you to guess what it is. At least I hope not. There was also not that much Byakuran in this chapter but…I'll make up for it next chapter. Promise. Sorry for the delay, school is coming up now and I'm sorry to say that my chapters will not come out as rapidly as they have been. I will try to have new chapters up as fast as I can. I'm kind of addicted to writing this Fanfiction, so maybe that would help make faster updates. Anyhow, thank you for those who reviewed the last chapters and I look forward to your new ones. Thank you Mithras151 for checking this chapter and giving feedback. Remember; show you care by reviewing my work. Reviews are my crack!


	8. Tsuna the Desired

Hungry for Tsuna

A Katekyo Hitman Reborn Fanfiction

Disclaimer: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn, Akira Amano does. And I am not getting profit from writing this…although it would be nice.

Author's Note: Don't hurt me! I know it's been so long since I updated. Here, let's just skip my babbling and get to the chapter. Without further delay, Chapter eight of Hungry for Tsuna, Tsuna the Desired.

Chapter Eight: Tsuna the Desired

Chapter summary: Hibari thinks he might be loosing his marbles. Tsuna has a mysterious dream. Courting Tsuna shenanigans! Mukuro and Byakuran have an intimate conversation.

A frost captured Tsuna's body and he soon realized that he was no longer in his warm bed. It was the sudden coldness that forced his eyes open and it was the icy feeling of his body pressed against the cold and damp floor that made him shiver. Tsuna's eyes couldn't see anything. It was dark. The blackness was so thick that he couldn't even make out the image of the floor he was laying on. Groggily the young brunette sat up from the dark place he laid upon and his tawny eyes tried to decipher the darkness before him. Tsuna looked around bewildered, wondering why he was in such a place.

_Where am I?_ He thought to himself. The brunette couldn't help but feel helpless and small in such a place. An icy wind flowed past him and the coldness of the breeze sank into his bones. He gasped, as he clasped his hands onto his shivering arms. _So cold…_He continued to mentally converse with himself. He pushed his knees to his chest and hugged them close, trying to conserve as much heat as possible. If he stayed in this dark place much longer, he was sure he was going to freeze to death. He had never been good with the cold. Whenever he was at home, his mother had always taken extra precautions with him. Taking the extra care to dress her precious son in an extra sweater or wrap him in a heavy scarf before he went off to school. He sighed, why was it only him that got into these predicaments?

"Sawada Tsunayoshi…" He jumped as someone called out to him from within the darkness. Tsuna desperately looked into the abyss to find the carrier of the voice but to no avail. He was about to give up, when he saw a flicker of something to his left. His eyes followed to reveal a small flame. He watched as the small flame danced ferociously in thin air. He frowned, feeling that this was some sort of trap. He heard of something like this in class, on one of those few occasions when he actually paid attention. He heard that during long expeditions in the desert, people began to hallucinate. He believed the phenomenon was called a mirage. He felt that this small flame was his mirage. He was so cold and to his left was the very thing that could remedy that. He wasn't buying it…his luck was too horrible to believe that this was not a trap.

Tsuna stared at the flame and the more he stared, the more he grew tempted to go to it. His situation wasn't getting better and he was still freezing to death…would it be so bad if he did fall for this trap? Or maybe it wasn't a trap at all…perhaps it was the way out of this place? Tsuna began to consider going towards the flame even more but a small part of him saw this as too good to be true. And as if on cue, a violent wind brushed passed him and forced him to get to his feet as he shivered more violent. He quickly went over to the flame, hoping that it wasn't a mirage or some sort of illusion. He noticed that the flame wasn't as small as he had first perceived. As he ran towards it, it grew more in size. Tsuna was almost near it when he tripped on something within the murky darkness and lost his balance. He gasped as he found himself in mid-air and slowly falling on to the cold black floor underneath him. He closed his eyes as he grew nearer to collision.

"Guess I should have seen that coming." Tsuna heard someone spoke. He opened his eyes in time to see the flame that was feet away from him stretched out its fiery petals and caught him. A small scream came out of the brunette as he collided with the flames. Tsuna was expecting to be burned but was surprised to not feel any pain at all. The flames that caught him didn't burn him instead it felt like a like summer haze against his skin. It didn't hurt but he could still feel the warmth of the flames. "Are you hurt?" he heard the fiery flower ask of him.

Tsuna shook his head indicating that he was unharmed but he was unable to believe what he heard or saw. The flames had talked to him and it has also saved him from slamming his face into the ground. Yet, his small mind couldn't comprehend it. Suddenly, he blurted out all his concerns at once. "Why are you talking? You're not supposed to talk! And…why aren't you burning me?! Why doesn't it hurt?!"

The brunette froze as he heard a kind laughter emit from the flames. His eyes widen as he watched the flames distort and transform into a humanoid-like image. No longer were flames holding Tsuna up but a man was doing the task. Tsuna's eyes widen even more as he gaze up at the person. The other had unruly blonde hair similar to his own style. However, the blonde's bangs were much long and went into his eyes a bit more. The stranger's eyes were blue and the irises reminded him of a beautiful ocean. As Tsuna looked more intently at the other he noticed how much he looked like him, although, the man that held Tsuna looked older than the brunette. He watched as the other smiled at him gently. "Sorry. I guess that would bother almost anyone."

"Eh?!" Tsuna exclaimed. It bothered him that this man was actually the flames that caught him. And the stranger was talking to him so causally as if he had not just transformed from fire to a human being just moments ago. "W-what are you?!"

The blond haired stranger frowned. "A human being…well, I was…once. I am dead afterall."

"Dead?!" Squealed Tsuna, trying to release himself from the other's hold but the man held on to the smaller boy more tightly.

"Don't be alarmed. I'm not a bad spirit and you're not dead either. Please calm down…I don't have much time to talk with you." The blonde spirit tried to assure the brunette. Tsuna stopped struggling after hearing the urgency in the other's voice. He complied with the stranger's wishes. He was still freaked out to hear that a dead person was holding him but he tried his best to ignore that horrifying fact. Seeing that Tsuna had relaxed, the blonde haired man continued. "This place is the world of the dead but there are times when the spirits can make contact with the world of the living. I haven't been able to contact you because you were so far away but that has changed recently. I am happy that I am able to establish a connection with you."

_That's why it's so cold here_. Tsuna thought to himself. He realized that he was no longer cold anymore and he was actually being kept warm by being in the other's grasp. "Why do you want to speak with me?" Tsuna asked.

"I came to warn you." The blue eyes of the stranger darkened.

"Warn me? What's going to happen?" Tsuna panicked, wondering how more wrong his life could go at this point. Wasn't god punishing him enough? His eyes then widened as he saw the other's face contort into pain. The blonde stranger groaned in agony as he seemed to be wounded by some invisible force. "Are you okay?!"

"My time is running short…"The man said as he cringed from another wave of pain. He then desperately explained to Tsuna, his reason for meeting him in this manner. "Listen, Tsunayoshi…you will be in grave danger and you will be tested. If you accept the test, then you will open my _Pandora's Box_. Do not under any circumstances accept the challenge!"

"The challenge?" Tsuna asked confused by what the other person meant. He then noticed that the hand that was holding him began to fade. The Man's image slowly began to deteriorate into a hazy representation. "Wait…"Tsuna pleaded. He had a lot questions to ask this person and he didn't want him to leave just yet. He wanted to understand the vague caveat that the spirit informed him of as well.

"Don't worry… we will meet again. I just hope the next time we meet, you'll choose the right decision." The blonde spirit smiled down at Tsuna lovingly as his image rapidly dissolved. When his essence was almost entirely gone he voiced one last advice for Tsuna. "Please…seek out, Reborn."

"Reborn?" Tsuna repeated as he saw the last of the blonde haired man disappear and then he was back in the cold dark place…alone. The brunette was left in square one all over again. He peered into the darkness, hoping that there was some way he could reach home. Tsuna jumped as he heard a loud cracking sound near him. He followed the sound with his eyes and witnessed the impossible. The floor was cracking! The floor continued to crack as blinding rays of light burst from the crevices. Soon the whole entire ground was broken by the searing white light and the fierce illumination conquered everything. Everything had become completely white.

"Tenth…wake up!" Tsuna felt someone gently nudging him awake. His tawny eyes slowly opened. His blurred vision slowly focused revealing that he was in an empty classroom. His eyes looked up and noticed the smiling face of Gokudera. He slowly lifted his head up from the hard desk that became his pillow somehow. _That was a weird dream…_Tsuna thought to himself as he looked up at his silver haired companion. He noticed the slight concern in the other's emerald eyes and decided to ease him. "Gokudera-san…did I fall asleep in class again?" Tsuna said as he rubbed the sleep out of his eyes.

After any eventful night he would have at the school, Tsuna could never sleep. He spent most of the night trying to stop Gokudera from blowing up the hallway. Whatever time he had left was trying to calm the wandering thoughts he had. After what Dino told him about the school, he grew more curious as to whom the principal was. He resolved soon after that he would ask Byakuran if he could meet with the principal. The freshman was sure that the student president wouldn't mind if he did. He was also worried about what he had said to Hibari last night. Tsuna was sure that the upperclassman was still livid over his accusation. The brunette still felt like an idiot for saying such a thing out loud and he was awaiting the prefect to bite him to death for being so foolish.

"It's my entire fault, Tenth! I kept you up last night! Forgive me…" Gokudera said bowing his head lowly and holding his hands above his head as if he was praying to the gods for forgiveness.

_Yes…it is your fault_. Tsuna frowned at Gokudera and then assured his silver haired friend. "It's okay…" The brunette's eyes passed over the empty class room once more. He was surprised that he had not heard the bell rung or the cacophony of the students and teacher hurriedly leaving the room. He couldn't believe that he was such a heavy sleeper. Tsuna then caught sight of Yamamoto, who was also sleeping. He smiled as he realized that Yamamoto had fallen asleep in class as well and it made him fell better that he wasn't the only one that thought the lesson was boring. He looked back at Gokudera and asked. "Should we wake Yamamoto up too?"

The silver haired terrorist's face contorted into disgust. He frowned. "Let's leave the baseball idiot behind."

Tsuna didn't know whether his friend was serious or joking but knowing the rivalry that Gokudera had with Yamamoto, the terrorist knew he meant it maliciously. "Um…we can't do that."

"Then I'll do it…"The bomber decided. He was willing to take on the filthy task of waking up Yamamoto. He didn't want Tsuna wasting his energy in waking up the baseball idiot. And as Tsuna's self-proclaimed protector this was his job to do the minimal tasks, so his tenth didn't have to. Gokudera approached the sleeping idiot and without restraint, he sharply kicked at the taller boy's desk. "Wake up! Bastard!"

"Gokudera-san! That's not gentle!" Tsuna watched in horror as Gokudera roughly woke up Yamamoto.

After a few kicks to his desk, Yamamoto slowly awoke. He then smiled up at Gokudera, who happened to be standing over him and then he noticed Tsuna not to far away. "Oh hey guys…did I fall asleep in class again?" The dark haired boy said cheerful as if he was not awakened so roughly at all.

"Che…" The silver haired terrorist spat, angry that Yamamoto was unfazed by his violence.

"It's okay, Yamamoto-san. I fell asleep as well. I think I might fail this term, if I don't shape up." Tsuna sighed, thinking about that pop quiz that was administered two days ago. He remembered he had gotten a twenty. It was one of the lowest grades of the class besides Yamamoto who attained the same grade.

Like the loyal puppy that he was, Gokudera hurried to Tsuna's side. He then grabbed a hold of Tsuna's hand holding them gently but with the passion of his devotion. "Tenth! Don't say that! You can do anything if you put your mind to it!"

_I think that's the problem…I don't care._ Tsuna thought to himself. He still wasn't used to Gokudera treating him so lovingly. It wasn't normal. However, the other holding his hand like this didn't bother him much. So far he had been given worse treatment; Gokudera had not touched him in the same way as everyone else had. In that aspect, his silver haired friend was gentler to him. He smiled at Gokudera, knowing that the other only wanted him to do well in school. "Well…maybe you can tutor me, Gokudera-san. You're the top of our class."

Gokudera's green eyes lit up. His expression was very akin to a little boy opening his present on Christmas day. "Me? Tutor the tenth?! Of course…I'll do anything for you Tenth!" The terrorist agreed.

_Those passionate words again!_ Although he was used to some of Gokudera's gentle touches, he still wasn't used to his declarations. Tsuna laughed nervously. "Yeah…and maybe you can help, Yamamoto-san too."

Gokudera came down from heaven and roared."I don't tutor idiots!!"

Tsuna grimaced at the terrorist's refusal. Tsuna was as much as an idiot as Yamamoto. They both attained the same grades in class. But the brunette felt that Yamamoto was way smarter than everyone thought he was. He was positive that if Yamamoto concentrated in his studies as much as he did baseball, then he could rival Gokudera's academic prowess. In his own case, Tsuna just believed…no…accepted that he was dumb. End of story.

Yamamoto laughed as he scratched the back of head. He never could take Gokudera too seriously. He saw Gokudera as a funny person; he made the best expressions. It was so animated and unique. Even if Gokudera said hurtful things, it was washed away by how comedic the bomber acted. "Is that so?" He grinned.

Gokudera turned his murderous eyes to the tall dark haired boy. "Not even a genius could save you from your own stupidity!"

Yamamoto continued to smile. "You never know until you try."

"Who would want to try?! You're a lost cause!" The silver haired terrorist spat back. He really hated that nonchalant face of the baseball idiot. It annoyed him and every time he saw it, Gokudera had an urge to wipe that cheerful smile off of Yamamoto's face.

Tsuna stood there watching as his two friends continued to bicker. Well, that wasn't true; Gokudera was doing most of the arguing. This reminded him a lot of last night except Dino was there egging Gokudera on. Not wanting to involve himself in deja vu any further, he opted to stop the bickering all together. Tsuna slung his school bag on to his shoulder and smiled. "Gokudera-san, Yamamoto-san, let's go back to the dorms…okay? We haven't figured out what to do tonight."

The dark-haired and silver haired boys turned to Tsuna as he called to them. Gokudera immediately stopped fighting with Yamamoto but the brunette knew this peace would be short lived. There will be more fighting…he was sure of that. _These guys are a handful_ Tsuna thought to himself as he heaved a sigh. He then slowly smiled to himself. _But…they are my friends._

* * *

The Disciplinary prefect was in one of his bad moods today. He couldn't help not to be irked by every little thing. His fellow disciplinary members were no where in sight, and for good reason. For when Hibari Kyouya, was in a bad mood and no one was safe from his wrath, not even his loyal soldiers, who nobly spread Hibari's gospel of justice, throughout the school was not spared. The dark haired boy rubbed foreign blood off of his cheek; he glared at the crimson smear on his pale complexion. The prefect was excited by the redness but disgusted, that some herbivore's fluids got on him. In someway, he felt as if he was sullied and grew even angrier. Why hadn't all the weaklings died off already?!

He had been biting anyone he could find to death all day. He remembered the last one he managed to get. Some poor soul who had stuck gum underneath his desk was now sticking his broken limbs into casks. The herbivore had it coming to him, disgracing his precious school with his gummy garbage and salvia. After taking some anger out in the form of "discipline", he found himself at the rooftop of the Lecture building. No one would bother him up there. Everyone knew this area was off limits because it was one of the few places that Hibari favored on campus. The prefect decided to sit himself by the edge, so he could still keep an eye on things while he rested. He leaned against the steel cage that wrapped around the perimeter of the roof as his blue eyes fell upon the school's landscape.

Hibari silently watched as the campus continued to go on no matter how angry he was. The world never stopped for such trivial things. Hibari frowned as the herbivore and his loyal lackeys came into his visual field. He watched as the trio walked across the lush lawn toward the Sky dorms. Unconsciously, the prefect's blue eyes were locked on the smallest herbivore of the group. His blue eyes studied the weak herbivore; taking in how timidly the brown haired freshman walked in between his friends. Sneering at Tsuna's untroubled smile; observing how the other's wild brunette hair flowed in the wind; respecting how the young boy kept his uniform neat and tidy compared to his friends; gazing at the glow of his large tawny orbs. Hibari slowly realized that he was staring the brunette down and he stopped himself from scrutinizing the other further. He turned his body around and brought his attention back to the vacant rooftop.

He didn't want to admit it but the herbivore did interest him. Tsunayoshi Sawada was a weakling through and through. He was the very thing that Hibari despised and yet, this person gained his unattainable attention. There was nothing special about the herbivore; he lacked strength and any kind of battle expertise. He had heard through word of mouth that the other was just as incompetent in his studies as well. The only thing he could commend the other for was his knack for being brave in very risky situations. Most of these situations generally involved Hibari threatening to beat the herbivore senseless. Although the herbivore dared to go up against him, Hibari had hardly condemned Tsuna to the fate that the many Namimori students had been subject to; being bitten by his tonfas. It bothered the prefect immensely that he had not beaten up the herbivore as of yet. The thought had crossed his mind many times but when it came time to act on them…he didn't.

Somewhere between Hibari's thought processes, a small yellow bird perched on to his shoulder. Absentmindedly responding to the light weight upon his shoulder, he pet the delicate creature. Soon after, he dropped his hand and returned to his musings. Hibari's mind replayed the very phrase that pissed him off to begin with. _Hibari-san! You're just jealous!_ He was once again reminded of the false accusation the herbivore had indicted him of. He could already feel his blood boil within him and his feathered companion must have felt the ominous aura from his owner since it departed shortly. It angered him even more because he had been accused of the same thing by the illusionist. _Kufufu…Are you jealous?_ Hibari recalled Mukuro asking him this after the illusionist explained how he had triumphed in violating the herbivore.

Of course, the prefect had denied being reduced to such a useless emotion such as jealousy. He refused to give the illusionist any satisfaction that his actions were getting to him. Hibari had placed on a brave face as Mukuro described his ministrations of the weakling's body but inside, the prefect had been seething with rage. This rage that engulfed him was nothing like anything he had felt before. It was a worse feeling than someone defacing the school and he never thought he would admit something like that. Even to himself. Hibari had claimed Tsuna first and it was as if the illusionist was encroaching on his territory. And this feeling went even further than territory, Hibari felt defeated. Knowing what Mukuro had done to Tsuna almost seared him as badly as losing to the illusionist. Once again, he had been out bested by the delinquent.

Hibari frowned at his own train of thought. Was he admitting that Mukuro outshined him?! No…he had no hold on the herbivore for the delinquent to overtake him. The illusionist had not beaten him because Tsuna was nothing to him. Mukuro could do whatever he liked to him. He didn't have any claim over the freshman. He didn't want such a claim over the weakling. Or…did he? It was undeniable, that he had been the one to kiss Tsuna that time in the hallway. He had made a mistake. Hibari couldn't describe what came over him. One moment, he was thinking of hitting Tsuna harder to silence him and the next thing he knew, he was kissing the herbivore.

Hibari groaned with annoyance. How could he slip up like that? It was so unlike him to act upon those primal urges that the other worthless herbivores seem to indulge in. He was not like them…he had control. Kind of. Then, where was that control when he kissed the herbivore? Where was his restraint last night? He was getting so irritated with that brunette idiot. If it wasn't for Tsuna…the prefect would never feel this way. He hated this feeling…it was so foreign to him. It was as if something alien not inhibited his being and it was because of a single person. Mukuro also had this effect on him and the illusionist had infected him with shame. At least in Mukuro's case he could actually name that unfamiliar feeling. In Tsuna's case, the prefect could not fathom the words to describe how he felt. Hibari made up his mind and deduced a solution to resolve this problem. It was all Tsuna's fault and he was going to pay dearly for it. Oh…how the herbivore would pay.

The prefect's musings were interrupted by a presence of another. Hibari's blues eyes narrowed to the roof door. Someone was standing there. He didn't know how long the other stood there but it was a minute too long in his opinion. "Show yourself…or I'll bite you to death." The prefect grumpily commanded.

Hibari watched as the door slowly opened to reveal a red haired boy with green eyes behind thick rimmed glasses. Hibari automatically recognized this herbivore to be Irie Shouichi, the Student Council's Secretary. Hibari's scowl deepened as he gazed at the red haired boy. It was rare that he would see Shouichi come to him and when he did, usually it was for a request from Byakuran, which he always refused. He was not happy to see him and would rather be left to his devices.

"What do you want?" Hibari frowned.

"Good afternoon, Hibari-senpai." Shouichi politely greeted and he was automatically hit with the ominous aura of the prefect. At times, the disciplinary prefect would be in one of his bad moods, this day was no different. The red haired secretary sighed as he realized that he no longer wanted to continue what he came here for. However, he forced himself to go through with it because it had to be done. "I'm sorry to disturb you but the president is asking all council members to keep an eye on Rokudo-san."

"I thought I told him I don't take orders." The prefect stated but there was a slight bite to his reply.

"Byakuran-sama is aware of this fact but he still felt you should still be told to do so." Shouichi nervously smiled at the other. One of his president's qualities was persistence.

The red-haired secretary watched as the disciplinary prefect mulled over the new information that was given to him. Shouichi wondered if the other actually understood Byakuran's urgency. He watched as the prefect's cold blue eyes turned back to him, ready give his answer. "No." Hibari said simply.

_Hibari-senpai is as difficult as usual_. Shouichi thought to himself. However, Shouichi kind of knew that Hibari would refuse this request from Byakuran…he generally did. Hibari had always worked on his own and although he was technically part of the council, he never came to the meetings or associated with them. He protected the school through his own power and his own means. Yet, the student president still felt Hibari could still be useful to them and even aid the student council if they persuaded him well.

"Is that all?" Hibari inquired further and Shouichi almost jumped hearing the other asked his question. It seemed that he caught Hibari at a bad time but when was the prefect ever in a good mood.

Shouichi stood his ground, no matter what he had to do his job. He looked sternly at Hibari, his green eyes piercing the other's indifferent gaze. "Well, no…there is one other thing."

* * *

The Namimori All Boys School wasn't far away from a town also named Namimori. The town had a populous of one thousand people. Before the all boys school was opened exactly a century ago, the town of Namimori had been facing hard times. However, the town was able to prosper once more after the school was built. The founder of the all boys school has also brought the town. The school's founder had a rail station be built so that the students could get to the school from anywhere in Japan or even the world. The rail station was also the cause of the town's growth since it was easier for the townspeople to transport goods and also be able to welcome business from other local towns.

Tsuna was amazed by how up to date the town was. He had expected the town to be full of country bunkums, which favorite pastimes were playing games like chasing the cow. Although, he knew full well that this place wasn't at all a farming ground. He couldn't break away from the metropolitan assumption that everyone who didn't live in the city or the suburbs lived on farms. He felt a bit foolish for thinking this. The young brunette looked to his comrades. Everyone was dressed casually and happy to leave their uniforms clothes back at the school.

"Tenth…please tell me why those three idiots are here." The brunette looked to the silver haired freshman as he pointed his finger at Dino, Ryohei and Yamamoto.

_Why are you pointing at Yamamoto?! He was originally supposed to be here!_ Tsuna thought to himself and explained why Ryohei and Dino were with them on this venture. "I invited them along. It's always fun to celebrate with a group of people. Plus, Dino and Ryohei have been here a dozen of times. They could act as good guides."

"The only one that doesn't need to be here is you, terrorist." Dino ragged on Gokudera.

Gokudera glared at the blonde and spat. "What was that, asshole?"

"No fighting, you guys. We're supposed to be having fun." Yamamoto obstructed any further banter from the terrorist and Dino. They were supposed to be here to celebrate and if these two started fighting, none of them would hear the end of it. The baseball fanatic then added. "Let's try to get a long."

The energetic boxer declared. "Sawada, let's celebrate to the extreme!"

_That's too extreme for me. _Tsuna thought. The upperclassman was at times a bit extreme for him and the brunette could only handle small dosages at a time. Tsuna smiled pleasantly at Ryohei and the rest of his friends. "Of course. What would you guys like to do?"

"How about we get something to eat first?" Yamamoto suggested.

"I know a good Italian place." The blonde haired upperclassmen recommended.

_That's right, Dino is Italian. And Gokudera's basically Italian too_. He remembered that Dino has briefly told him this in one of their few conversations. In the case of Gokudera, the silver haired freshman has blurted it out when Tsuna complimented Dino for being Italian. Apparently, Gokudera had an Italian father and his mother was half Japanese and Italian. "I wouldn't mind. I never tried it."

As usual, Yamamoto was up for anything. "Sounds good." The dark haired freshman agreed.

"Anything the tenth wants." Gokudera said cheerfully to Tsuna.

_You can disagree with me as well._ Tsuna thought and he looked to Ryohei as he also agreed.

The boxer considered. "I heard Italians were pretty strong. I'll make them join my boxing club."

_It's an Italian restaurant in Japan that doesn't mean its run by Italians!_ Tsuna stated in his mind. Although, the brunette was baffled by the other's previous statement, he realized that the upperclassmen often spoke about his boxing club. From the brief times, he had spoken to Ryohei, the boxer had always brought it up. "Sasagawa-san, are you always thinking of the boxing club?"

"Un." The silver haired boxer confirmed. "I'm always looking for new members. You should join the boxing club, Sawada."

"I don't think I'm cut out for sports." Tsuna politely declined. Although, he was bad at sports, the real reason why he usually refused Ryohei's invitation was because it scared him to be involved in such a rough activity. Tsuna realized Ryohei's energetic mood deflate after his response. Not wanting to see Ryohei so crestfallen, Tsuna offered an alternative. "But maybe I can mascot for your club when you have a competition."

The silver haired boxer slightly blushed at Tsuna's suggestion. "Okay! I'll make sure my boxing club uses their dying will to the extreme! So that they don't lose!"

"I'll cheer you on." Tsuna smiled at the upperclassmen. "I heard Sasagawa-san is the best boxer in Japan. I'm sure you don't have to use your dying will to win."

Suddenly, the brunette felt an arm around his shoulders. His tawny eyes looked up to find the culprit and discovered that the appendage belonged to Dino. Tsuna blushed slightly with Dino being so close to him. The brunette remembered the "almost" kiss that the blonde tried to give to him last night. Tsuna began to grow wary of Dino's presence thinking he would try to kiss him again. Although, he was nervous around the Dino, he still tried to be pleasant around the other. Tsuna didn't want to alienate the blonde from him, although Gokudera wouldn't have minded. Despite Tsuna's obvious embarrassment, Dino talked with Tsuna causally. "Dying will? Where did you come up with that, Tsuna? It's a really good slogan. Everyone can't stop talking about it in school."

"Well…it just kind of came out. I don't know where it came from. Maybe I heard it somewhere before and used it in the slogan." Tsuna admitted, still blushing madly.

"Is that so?" Dino smiled as he lifted his arm that rested on Tsuna's shoulders and then ruffled the brunette's unruly chestnut locks. "What an amazing fluke then. You have some luck, Tsuna."

_I guess it was a fluke but...I must have heard this phrase before. I know I have…but from where? It seemed really familiar in a way._ Tsuna thought to himself. He tried to scrape through his memories to find out where he had heard this phrase before. His thoughts then slipped to that weird dream he had in class. Unconsciously, Tsuna began to frown to himself. He wondered who that person was and what kind of challenge was going to be presented to him? The person wanted him to refuse the challenge at all cost. What scared him the most about the whole ordeal was that the stranger had to warn him about accepting said challenge? Would it be a challenge that he would be unable to refuse? He also wondered what the blonde stranger wanted to hide. He had said that his Pandora's Box would be opened if he accepted the challenge. Tsuna couldn't wrap his head around it. Maybe he should consider it as just a dream and nothing more. He'd be able to sleep better at night.

Yamamoto watched as Tsuna seemed to become distracted. The tall boy wondered what was on the brunette's mind to give him such a saddening look. The baseball fanatic asked. "Is something wrong, Tsuna?"

Tsuna was pulled out of his thoughts and looked to Yamamoto. He saw the other's concern for him and decided to say something to relieve him. If he shared his mysterious dream with them, he would make his friends worried. He didn't want that. This was his problem and he could deal with it on his own. Tsuna smiled sweetly. "No…it's nothing. I guess I'm just hungry."

"Tenth, you won't have to suffer for too long." Gokudera smiled brightly at Tsuna as he reassured him. He then glared at Dino, his emerald eyes having daggers for the upperclassman. The blonde was pissing him off. He had belittled him earlier and just recently, he had placed his filthy hands all over his tenth. And he was older than him, meaning that he was bad news. People older than him could never be trusted. "Bastard, did you get us lost?!" The silver haired terrorist barked.

"Don't worry. We're really close to it." Dino laughed off the other's comments and continued to lead the group towards the Italian restaurant.

"Is that it?" Yamamoto pointed a particular building out. The restaurant was not like the other neighboring shops and residences. The other buildings were built in a national fashion; many of the establishments were built small and quaint. However, this particular building stood out from the rest and you could automatically tell from the architecture that it was foreign built. It was large in height and width. The restaurant had two floors. The building was a pink-orange color. The roof was a fiery red color. The windows were wide and outlined with white framing. The windows all had shutters that were the same fiery color of the roof. The windows on the top floor were wider and there was even a small balcony on the side of the building. The front door was wooden and had a golden doorknocker upon it for decoration. The sides of the doorway held small gas lamps ignited by roaring flames. The doorway even had a pair of alabaster steps leading up to the restaurant. Extending off the side of the building was a white sign bearing the name of the restaurant, Bello Cielo. Outside you can hear the faint cry of foreign music and the aroma of Italian herbs and spice. To Tsuna, it reminded him of some kind of villa. He had never been to Italy but he was sure that the buildings looked something like this.

"Wow. You have good eyes, Takeshi." Dino commended the tall freshman.

"Be-Ro Shi-E-Ro?" Tsuna read the sign with terrible pronunciation.

"Bello Cielo." Dino corrected the brunette. "It means beautiful sky. I heard this was the founder's favorite place to eat."

Tsuna turned to Dino as he revealed to him that the founder used to eat here. The brunette was baffled. "But the founder died a whole century ago. This place was here for that long?!"

"Uh huh." The blonde smiled. "The school's pretty old but so is the town."

"Let's go inside." Yamamoto beckoned as he made his way up the steps to the restaurant.

"Yeah! Let's eat pizza to the extreme!" The boxer roared as he followed after the baseball fanatic.

"There are other things besides pizza, stupid lawn-head!" Gokudera yelled angrily. The silver haired terrorist then took Tsuna's hand and pulled the brunette with him to the restaurant. He'd be damned if his precious tenth was left alone with Dino. "Come on, Tenth!"

"Okay…" Tsuna felt the heat around his collar blazed as he felt Gokudera hold his hand. The other's touch was very warm and his skin was very soft. The brunette didn't know what to make of it. Earlier when the terrorist had taken a hold of his hands, he felt nothing. But now, he felt differently…it was a foreign feeling. His body was reacting to such a simple touch. Tsuna ignored these feelings and tired to concentrate on something else. He allowed the terrorist to lead him inside the restaurant.

Once Gokudera and Tsuna walked into the restaurant, they heard a loud thump behind them. The terrorist and the brunette quickly turned to see that Dino had fallen backwards on to the few steps leading to the restaurant. Tsuna stood there staring in disbelief. How did the blonde managed to fall backwards when climbing three steps?! The young protagonist could hear Gokudera snickering from behind him.

"Dino-san? Are you okay? What happened?" Tsuna inquired with a worried look.

He watched the blonde upperclassman sit up. Dino then gazed up to the worried face of Tsuna. He didn't want to worry the brunette or reveal to Tsuna, his horrible trait of clumsiness. Especially, his clumsiness around someone he liked. He then smiled. "I did that on purpose."

_For what reason?!_ Tsuna thought to himself.

"Bullshit…" Gokudera spat at Dino, knowing that the blonde was lying to Tsuna.

"Really. I thought it would get a good laugh." The blonde continued to go with his lie. He then reached a hand out to Tsuna. "Do you mind helping me up?"

The brunette looked to the hand extended towards him. At first he hesitated to take the hand but after a few moments of deliberation, he went over to help his friend. Tsuna walked toward the steps and he slowly climbed down the first step and although the small boy was trying to be careful, he ended up tripping over something.

"AHHHH!" Tsuna yelled as he plunged face first into Dino's chest.

"Tenth!" Gokudera watched as Tsuna tripped over Dino's foot.

"Sawada!" Tsuna heard Ryohei yell from inside the restaurant. Apparently, Ryohei and Yamamoto had gone to see the large commotion that Gokudera, Dino and Tsuna started. The athletes had managed to catch Tsuna tripping as well.

"Tsuna! Are you okay?" This question was from the baseball fanatic.

"I'm fine…" He responded to his friends inquiries over his well being. The freshman slowly recovered from his descent. He was kind of embarrassed that he had also fallen. He then looked up at the blonde. The brunette's tawny eyes widen a bit as he realized that Dino was grinning at him. "Di..no-san?" Tsuna questioned.

"You actually fell for it, Tsuna." Dino hummed as he took a hold of the other's shoulders and pressed his lips against Tsuna's. The brunette blushed wildly as the upperclassmen kissed him. The freshman felt like a deer caught in the headlight of a car, unable to move from his inevitable fate. He wanted to push the blonde away but all the strength from his body had been stolen by Dino's electrifying kiss. The kiss that the upperclassmen bestowed upon him made his limp body tingle in the most amazing way. Tsuna felt as if some invigorating warmness had come into his being; rubbing his insides in a good way, like fur against the skin. Dino shortly released the other from the oral embrace but the younger boy was still under the kiss's dreamy spell. Tsuna was kind of disappointed to lose that exhilarating warmth but he then mentally reprimanded himself for thinking such shameful thoughts. He shivered slightly as the other's warm breath brushed against his ear. Then Dino whispered with his velvety voice. "I can't lose to Rokudo Mukuro."

"YOU KNOW ABOUT THAT TOO!!" Tsuna exclaimed as he looked into the smiling face of Dino. From the other's smile, he could tell the blonde knew everything. _How many people knew?!_ The brunette gravely pondered.

* * *

After aimlessly walking around the campus, the president found himself on the seventh floor of the Sky dorm. After the last meeting, the principal had already made preparations to make _that_ room into a temporary library. Byakuran grew curious and decided to see what was set up. The old recreation room was on the far end of the seventh floor. It was conveniently placed away from the residential rooms on the floor, so that it didn't disturb the students and faculty that slept. However, this room wasn't always a recreational area. In the past, it had been used for other things. From what the president heard, the founder used this room as his own personal office. And after the founder's demise it was used as a principal's office. However, forty years ago…the school underwent a major period of reconstruction and the room became a mini recreational center.

Byakuran opened the door of the old recreation room and found that the room was already filled with bookshelves, lounging furniture and even study essentials. The student president was surprised by how fast the principal worked. The room felt like a library and you couldn't tell that it used to be a room for leisure. The president stepped into the room further and noticed he was not in the room alone. His violet eyes went to a red couch and he automatically recognized the person sitting there. Who could not recognize such a distinguishable hairstyle?

Byakuran walked over to the midnight haired delinquent. He grinned as Mukuro looked up in his direction. "Oh…what's this? Nappo-chan, must be as bored as I am."

"Kufufu…what do I owe the pleasure, student president." Mukuro smiled pleasantly at the other and he watched as the white haired male took the liberty of taking a seat in front of him.

"No need to be formal, Nappo-chan. We know each other very well." The student president hummed with a fox-like smile. "But I have been wondering what you've been up to. Running from the law? Training in the mountains? Plotting the destruction of mankind?"

The midnight haired boy's smile widen at hearing the other's comments. "Something like that I suppose."

Byakuran shamelessly trailed his violet eyes up and down the other's body. He then purred. "That isn't the correct way to wear the school's uniform but still…Nappo-chan looks sexy as always."

"Byakuran, are you coming on to me?" Mukuro grinned, resting his chin on the palm on his gloved hands.

"Don't flatter yourself. My heart belongs to Tsu-chan." The student president professed as he dramatically placed a hand over his heart.

Mukuro raised an eyebrow at the Byakuran's statement and then questioned. "Sawada Tsunayoshi?"

The white haired boy nodded his head in agreement. He knew that by now the illusionist had made contact with Tsuna. He then smiled to himself, thinking what kind of "contact" Mukuro made with the brunette. The student president knew the other's style pretty well and knew that Mukuro's first impressions were one of a kind. "The same…you've went to see him…didn't you?"

The illusionist smiled mischievously. "More like tasted."

Feeling as if the other was outshining him, Byakuran confessed an even greater privilege. "Well, I saw him naked…so I beat you." He countered.

"Kufufu. I didn't think it was a competition." Mukuro laughed. However, the illusionist still couldn't believe what he was hearing. He couldn't accept that president could potentially like Tsuna. "It's surprising to see you interested over someone like Tsunayoshi."

The white haired student beamed sweetly at Mukuro. "Even though you say that, Nappo-chan…I'm not the only one guilty of the charge." He said this in his normal sing-song tone and then his voice became more serious as he continued. "Tsu-chan is a very special person to me."

"I was just going to use him to piss Hibari off but now that he's connected to you then he becomes more useful." The illusionist threatened.

Although, Byakuran was smiling, his violet eyes were burning into Mukuro. It was very rare for the student president to become angry and only a few people were able to do it. For so long, the president had been wearing a convincing mask of blithe. People just assumed that he was always in good spirits but Byakuran was skilled at concealing the emotions in his face. Yet, his eyes usually divulged his secret. "What's this? Are you threatening me? That's not very nice, Nappo-chan. You'd do well to make me your friend."

"Oya oya? Did I get the student president angry? Excuse my manners…." Mukuro sneered at the white haired male seeing that he had struck a nerve.

"Don't mock me..." The student president replied as he managed to let his anger leek out of him. He swiftly returned to a calm disposition. "You may not be friends with me but you are friends with the principal…"

The midnight haired illusionist shook his head. "More like an acquaintance…"

"Must be nice…"Byakuran said softly. He then looked at Mukuro sincerely as he proceeded to speak. "So I assume Chrome is safe then."

The illusionist smiled. "I assume so."

The student president's smile faltered. He was disappointed to see how cautious the other was being. Byakuran didn't expect Mukuro to keep this much to himself. He assumed that Mukuro's secrecy was the due to the incident of the previous year. "Boy. Nappo-chan sure is secretive. He doesn't want to tell me anything. I remember the time that Nappo-chan used to speak to me about all sort of things. I guess those days are gone."

Now it was Mukuro's turn to give Byakuran a heated look. "Those days ended after you betrayed me." The illusionist stated

"Are you still mad about that? Get over it already." The white haired boy released an annoyed groan. His violet eyes even gave Mukuro a clear indication of his aggravation. The student president expression softened a bit as he spoke more. "But I guess I should thank you. Thanks to Nappo-chan playing the bad guy, I was able to be student president. So I appreciate your help…"

Mukuro's heterochromatic gaze burned into Byakuran. He didn't like the fact he was used as a tool and then cast aside when his usefulness ran out. Mukuro had lived his life not adhering to authority or any figure that held power. No one could bind him. No one could suppress him. That was until he met Byakuran and was first introduced to being toyed with. This person was on another level completely different than his own. Never had Mukuro met such an antagonizing person as Byakuran. But the illusionist didn't fear this person for what he did to him instead; he was more determined to destroy him. He would use any means to get his revenge even if he had to use someone as innocent as Tsuna. "Then I will have fun corrupting that little pawn of yours."

"Go ahead…" Byakuran shrugged his shoulders as he grinned. "Go ahead and corrupt him…it wouldn't change a thing. Tsunayoshi is someone you can not corrupt."

"Kufufu. Anyone can be corrupted. He is a man, right? It doesn't take much to persuade a person." Mukuro believed confidently, he was sure he would be able to influence Tsuna.

"Whatever you say, Nappo-chan." Byakuran was also confident in what he said. Tsuna was a person that could not be corrupted. He was not like everyone else. Tsuna wasn't driven by greed, fame, beauty or love. He was a rare breed. However, the student president kept this knowledge to himself. The student president gets up from his seat, already getting bored of the other's company. "Well, it was fun but I have to leave now. I'm sure I'll see you around, Nappo-chan. Hopefully, the next time I see you…you'll have eaten those words of yours."

Mukuro looked to Byakuran with interest. "Are you off to toy with someone else's life?"

"It's too quiet here. I think I'll make Xan-chan blow up something. Kyou-chan will be so mad! Oh well…" Byakuran giggled as he walked over to the doorway. He turned back to Mukuro. "Be good." And with that, Byakuran left the room without another word.

* * *

Tsuna sighed heavily to himself. The atmosphere at the table was heavy with something that made the brunette uncomfortable. After, Dino boldly kissed him in front of his friends; there had been an ominous aura in the air. Although, Tsuna was embarrassed that Dino kissed him, he was even more humiliated that Dino found out what Mukuro did. For most of the night, he could not look the blonde upperclassman in the eyes. He had also evaded Yamamoto and Gokudera's inquiries on the subject. He did not want to tell his friends about his violation. However, Tsuna did fear they would hear it from someone else. _Why does god hate me? What did I do wrong in my life to deserve this?_ Tsuna thought to himself, placing himself in a depressive stupor. Yet, he could not decipher the reason why his other friends were in a bad mood. Yamamoto was smiling a little less and Ryohei did not chow down on his food to the extreme. Tsuna hoped his friends didn't have a lesser opinion of him after Dino kissed him. Yamamoto and Gokudera was one of the first friends he had made here and Tsuna didn't want to lose them. Not over something like a kiss! And what did Ryohei think? Maybe he thought he was disgusting for being kissed by a guy and wouldn't want him to mascot for his club. The more Tsuna considered this, he felt himself fall deeper into despair.

Ryohei noticed that the small boy was depressed. "Cheer up, Sawada!" Ryohei tried to comfort the other the only way he could. "You always smile to the extreme! I've always admired that. So…come on, Sawada, smile as brightly as you always do!"

Tsuna looked to Ryohei and noticed that the other was doing his best to make him happy. The brunette didn't feel like smiling but he didn't want Ryohei to be concerned for him either. Tsuna searched deep within himself to find his happy place and slowly he was able to smile again. For some reason, the freshman felt more at ease and even the heavy atmosphere that loomed over them seem to disperse a bit. Tsuna felt a lot happier smiling than frowning. "Thank you, Sasagawa-san. I feel much better now." He proved this by smiling at the other.

"Seeing Sawada's smile always makes me happy. It reminds me of my younger sister's." Ryohei continued to speak.

"You have a sister, Sasagawa-san? I'm sure she has a beautiful smile. I would like to meet her one day." The brunette was surprised to hear Ryohei had a sister. He secretly imagined that Ryohei's younger sister would be just as energetic and an extreme athlete like her older brother.

"It's an extreme promise!" Ryohei agreed.

_No…it's just a regular promise. _Tsuna thought ruefully to himself but he was content to see the boxer so excited over their promise.

Growing jealous that Tsuna was paying more attention to Ryohei than himself, Dino devised a distraction. "Would you like to try, Tsuna?" The blonde kindly asked the brunette to taste his dish. Dino left no room for the Tsuna to refuse him by preparing a fork of food for the other to sample and extended the serving to the freshman. He then said lovingly. "Say Ahhh."

_I can feed myself, you know. _Tsuna sighed as he obeyed Dino and allowed the other to feed him. He ate the offered sample and found it quite tasty. "Wow, this is delicious." Tsuna complimented Dino's dish.

_God damn bastard...I can't lose the tenth to someone like him. _Gokudera glared at Dino as he seduced Tsuna. "Hey, tenth…try this too." Gokudera offered his own dish to Tsuna, placing a bit of it on his own fork and giving it to the other.

"Sure…" Tsuna accepted the fork of food that Gokudera offered to him. Gokudera's meal was delectable as well. "This is good too."

Yamamoto had watched the whole transaction between the trio._ Feeding Tsuna...hahaha…too bad I didn't think of that._ The baseball fanatic thought to himself but he didn't want to claim defeat just yet. He couldn't lose to Gokudera or Dino, although he valued their friendships, he still wanted Tsuna for himself."Hey, Tsuna…would you like to share a dessert with me? Tiramisu sounds good."

"Okay…" The brunette smiled.

_Fucking baseball idiot! _Gokudera gritted his teeth at Yamamoto. The silver-haired freshman was outshined by his rival and the terrorist hadn't even seen Yamamoto's move coming. Gokudera was more focused on trying to outdo Dino; he had not considered that the baseball idiot would join in too.

While Gokudera looked like he wanted to kill the baseball fanatic, Dino was very impressed. He had always thought of Yamamoto as air headed as Ryohei. Now, he saw a more sly side of him and Dino decided that he couldn't underestimate the tall freshman. He was kind of angry that he hadn't thought of Yamamoto's beautiful idea first._ Looks like Yamamoto used his head. Well played. _The blonde upperclassmen acknowledged.

_Why is everyone glaring at each other? Am I missing something? _Tsuna thought to himself as he watched his friends. It was as if they were competing but he had no idea for what they contended for or even why. It made him nervous. He then looked to Ryohei, who seem to be the only one among his friends not involved in this competition._ Well…except Sasagawa-san. _He then smiled sweetly at Ryohei feeling that the boxer was left out. "Would you like to try the amaretto semifreddo with me, Sasagawa-san?"

Excited that Tsuna offered to eat a dessert with him, the boxer roared. "I'll gladly eat it with you, to the extreme!"

_WHAT?!_ Dino, Gokudera and Yamamoto looked stunned, hearing this new development. They were shocked that Tsuna had suggested the boxer to share a dessert with him. To the three boys, it was like Tsuna had placed his heart on his silver platter. And he was serving it to Ryohei, of all people! _We're losing to the Ryohei! Impossible!!_

"Then have some of my dessert as well, Tsuna. It's not everyday that you eat foreign cuisine." Dino proposed, desperately not wanting to lose to the boxer.

"Have some of mine too, Tenth. My dessert is better than everyone else's." Gokudera swore.

"I'll have some of all of them." Tsuna laughed nervously as everyone seemed to be glaring at each other and this time Ryohei joined in.

_TSUNA'S MINE! BACK OFF!!_ All of the boys, excluding poor Tsuna, glowered mentally at one another.

The waitress that had been serving Tsuna and company for the night had been watching the group for a while. She had felt the frigid ambiance that surrounded that particular table and didn't want to go nowhere near it. She then pleaded with her boss. "Boss, Do I have to go back to that table? There's this dangerous aura over there. It's so scary."

"Don't be silly, Yuzuki. It's just a group of handsome guys. It's their raging hormones and that testresrone you're sensing. They must go to Namimori All Boys School, all the boys that attend that school are so hot. You should be lucky to be their waitress." Another waitress encouraged the frightened one.

"But…" The scared waitress continued to plead.

"Go over there and get their money…" The boss insisted.

The waitress slowly gave in. She took a deep breath and walked over to Tsuna's table. She stood at the end of the table and smiled sweetly at the group. "Are you boys getting any dessert?"

"YES!" Everyone (except Tsuna) exclaimed in unison.

_I guess they really wanted to eat dessert._ Tsuna was embarrassed by his friends' enthusiasm to order dessert and he looked at the waitress with sympathy as his friends desperately told her their orders. The waitress looked like she was about to have an emotional break down as she wrote down their dessert requests. Tsuna swallowed an urge to hide under the table because the whole restaurants eyes were featured on them. _I need new friends…I need new friends. _He repeated the mantra to himself, trying to evade the stares that the other patrons of the restaurant were giving them. _I need new friends that won't molest me and embarrass me in public. Yes…starting tomorrow_.

Chapter Eight End

* * *

Author's Note: Um this Fanfiction took a while…sorry about that but it was very hard since I don't know what time management is. I switched Mukuro's nickname to Nappo-chan because I've been seeing Nappo everywhere lately. So that is his new nickname. Although, Ken will pay dearly for giving Byakuran the idea. Next chapter will have Xanxus because his birthday is two days from mine. October is also Tsuna and Reborn's birthday…so I guess chapter nine and ten will have to be special. I'm so sorry it took a whole month for a release. Hopefully, I can release chapter nine and ten within October. Thank Mithras151 for checking this chapter. Please look forward to the next chapter and thank you for reading the previous chapters. Any suggestions to make the story better are appreciated. Please review my work…since reviews are my crack. I'm a review addict but who isn't.


	9. Tsuna the Target

Hungry for Tsuna

A Katekyo Hitman Reborn Fanfiction

Disclaimer: I do not own this Katekyo Hitman Reborn, I think I've been saying this all along.

Author's Note: Well, I didn't make in time for the past birthdays. Happy belated Birthdays to Xanxus, Reborn and Tsuna!! However, I made it in time for Toshinoda Iida's birthday…which is today! Happy birthday! Sorry for the wait, like I said last chapter…I have no idea what time management is; and therefore only chapter eight and nine will be released this month. I did try. Thank you for Mithras151 for checking this chapter. Well enough of my babbling. Without further delay, Chapter Nine of Hungry for Tsuna, Tsuna the Target.

Instead of a chapter summary, I will sometimes replace it with my favorite quote out of the chapter.

Favorite Quote of Chapter Nine: "However, by some kind of magic, you miraculously get things accomplished. You're like a fucking Mary Sue."

Chapter Nine: Tsuna the Target

For the past two days, Tsuna has been avoiding his friends. He was still embarrassed by their behavior at the restaurant. Every time he would look back at the events that happened at that restaurant, he would remember how the other customers glared at them. He even felt sorry for that waitress that serviced them, since she was later brought to tears. It was such a horrible night and the brunette just wanted to forget it. However, no matter how he tried, he couldn't forget. Especially since the young protagonist was so weirded out by their behavior. Something was wrong with all of his friends. They had acted so strangely that night and he still couldn't place his finger on why. It was as if all his friends were fighting for his attention. Tsuna found himself sighing heavily. _But I already pay attention to them. I just don't understand._

Tsuna pondered over the matter even further and slowly he began to connect things together. He realized that from his time here, not only have he gained friends that he also experience many firsts. Waking up next to Hibari and having his first kiss stolen from said person. Among his other firsts, Tsuna experiencing being glomped by Byakuran, molested by Mukuro. Tsuna reflected on his first meetings with everyone he's met and most of his encounters dealt with being kissed or touched inappropriately. He remembered that most of the misbehaving happened after Dino had kissed him. Even to this day he couldn't figure out why the blonde upperclassmen had done such a thing. The freshman couldn't help but blush as this revelation. _But why? Why are they only doing it to me?_ Tsuna continued to ponder this complicated predicament he was in.

As the brunette walked down the empty hallways of the Sky dorm, he heard something. As he walked further, the noises became clearer. CRASH! The curious Tsuna followed the sounds of the crashing. It wasn't long before he found himself on the third floor of the dorms. As soon as he stepped on its floor, he saw bits of broken furniture litter the hallway. The hallways continued to explode with the destruction of items. Tsuna let his curiosity get the best of him and soon he found himself dodging an item being flung out of a dorm room.

"VOOOOOOOI!" The chestnut haired freshman heard as he slowly recovered from flinging himself onto the floor. KA-SPLAT! He saw yet another thing be tossed outside of the room and smash against the nearby wall. Tsuna's tawny eyes peered into the dorm room to see a long haired boy vandalizing another student's room. Apparently, said student was now lying on the floor unconscious after being beaten up by the loud attacker. Tsuna recognized the unconscious student as the president of the kendo club, Mochida-san. The brunette only recognized the dark haired student because Yamamoto had talked about considering to join; if he didn't get on the baseball team. He didn't know Mochida-san but no one deserved this treatment.

"Why are you doing this?" Tsuna stood in the frame of the door. "What did he do to deserve this?"

Squalo turned around at the sound of Tsuna's shaky voice. The long haired upperclassmen took a moment to look at the brunette as if he forgot who he was. He then grinned as he remembered. The white haired boy grinned. "WELL ISN'T IT THE SHITTY BRAT!"

_I do have a name._ Tsuna thought as he continued to gaze at Squalo. "Haven't you done enough damage to his room already?"

Squalo's light blue eyes looked to the fallen Namimori student and violently kicked at him. He then said in his loud voice. "WHY SHOULD I HAVE MERCY FOR TRASH?!"

"Stop it!" Tsuna screamed, watching the helpless student groan in pain.

The loud swordsman turned to the brunette and halted his beating. "DO YOU FEEL SORRY FOR HIM? DO YOU WANNA TAKE HIS PLACE?"

Tsuna opened his mouth ready to agree but than he closed it in hesitation. He remembered who Squalo associated with and he was very afraid that if he did accept then he would see Xanxus. Although, the brunette wanted to give the vice president a chance, Xanxus still scared him. Moreover, the president had warned Tsuna not to underestimate them and that they would harm him. Although, taking the student's place was a bad idea, the brunette couldn't walk away from Mochida-san. Before Tsuna could give Squalo his answer, he heard another voice behind him.

"Shishishi…he reminds me of a doll. The prince wants to play with him." Tsuna's eyes shifted to the newcomer. This person was taller than him. His hair was blonde as well as straight and short. His hair was shorter in the back and longer in the front. His blonde bangs concealed his eyes only revealing the other's creepy toothy grin. The mysterious student wore a small a silver tiara on his head, adding on to his creepiness. The blonde student was also wearing his Namimori school uniform except, Tsuna could see a striped shirt peeking from under his white shirt and white calf-high combat boots, wore over his pants.

"Doll?!" The brunette squealed.

"Playing with the doll will be much more fun." The blonde said in a childish manner. Grinning from tooth to tooth, the tiara clad student, pulled out a sharp knife and playfully pointed it towards Tsuna. "I wonder what the doll's blood looks like."

Tsuna watched in horror as the dangerous looking student pointed his knife at him. "Hiiiii!!" Tsuna screeched as he found himself backing up against the wall, in hopes of escaping through it.

Peeking from the doorway of unconscious student's room, Squalo was able to spot the person that tore Tsuna's attention away from him. The long haired student council representative was not happy to see the blonde haired knife wielder. Squalo made sure the other knew of his irritation. "VOOOOOOI!! I WAS TALKING TO THE SHITTY BRAT FIRST! MIND YOUR OWN FUCKING BUSINESS!"

"Shishishi…this is a Prince's business." The blonde looked to Squalo playfully. One of his favorite pastimes was bothering Squalo, when he was bored. The white haired boy was always prepared to fight and it was so amusing to him.

"WHAT'S THAT? I'LL KILL YOU!" Squalo said as he decided to stop terrorizing the unconscious student and placed his energy on attacking the blonde with the Cheshire cat-like grin.

"Try." The blonde's grin faltered. His face was left emotionless but a murderous aura was present around the boy.

Tsuna watched as the long haired male leapt into the air tackling the other down into the floor. As the two boys violently tried to rip each other's throats out, Tsuna grimaced observing how ruthless both students were. Never in his life had he seen such violence between two men. It was one thing to fight with your bare hands but there was something eerie about battles with weapons.

_Why are they fighting each other? Anyway…I can use this chance to get out of this situation. _Tsuna pondered and then he made a move to back away from the room, he had been using as refuge. He slowly inched towards the other end of the hallway but before he could made it, a harsh wind flew passed him. Tsuna eyes widening as the wind that had passed threw him was a number of sharp objects. A few throwing knives and a sword blocked his means of escape and Tsuna took that as a clear indications that he shouldn't make any sudden movements.

"VOOOOI!! WHERE DO YOU THINK YOU'RE GOING!!" the long haired swordsman roared in the middle of stabbing the blonde in the face.

The tiara clad student also paused in skewering Squalo with his many knives. The blonde haired prince grinned. "A prince doesn't chase after dolls. Be a good boy and stay put."

The two of them stopped their fighting and decided to focus their attention on making sure Tsuna didn't escape. "YOU'RE COMING WITH US!" Squalo declared.

Scared shitless at this point, Tsuna nervously replied. "Perhaps another time."

"Shishishi. Are you afraid? We'll try not to hurt you…much." The blonde said darkly.

_I am so dead!_ Tsuna thought to himself. Why did he have to go to a school with dangerous people such as these?

Suddenly, Tsuna was grabbed by the loud, long haired student. "COME ON!" The shark demanded.

Suddenly, the small brunette was lifted off of his feet and practically thrown over Squalo's shoulder. It took a few moments to realize that he was actually being dragged off somewhere against his will. "Wait! Let me go! Put me down!" Tsuna screamed as he whisked away by a shark and a psychotic prince.

--

Shouichi frantically walked into the student council office. The red haired upperclassmen looked flustered as his green eyes looked around office. His eyes then caught sight of their treasurer, Spanner. Hurriedly, the secretary went over to the blonde in hopes that the mechanic could help him. "Spanner-san, have you seen Byakuran-sama anywhere?"

"Nope…" Spanner answered indifferently as he gazed at the redhead.

Shouichi sighed heavily, fighting an urge to rip out his red hair. He then looked away from Spanner and looked around the council room, hoping that the president was hiding somewhere in there. The secretary was so desperate that he began looking under objects that would not properly conceal the president to begin with. Amusingly, the red haired secretary even looked underneath a discard sheet of paper for the missing president. Shouichi then gave up his hopeless search and assured himself. "Maybe he's somewhere on campus. He must be running away from doing his work again. If the principal hears about this, Byakuran-sama will be in big trouble."

"…" Spanner stood there watching the red-haired secretary. He quietly observed the whole situation as he sipped on his fresh brew of tea. Although, it didn't show on his face, he was very amused.

The secretary then flopped on the couch exhausted by looking for that carefree president of his. That president of his was such a handful. Not only did he not want to do his work but he hardly wanted to fulfill his roles as president. He was starting to wonder whether or not, Byakuran wanted to be student president. In Shouichi's opinion, the white haired student was not taking it as seriously as he liked. He remembered last year that was all Byakuran would talk about. Byakuran hated the last president and he seemed genuinely concerned about the welfare of the school. At least, that's what he told him and made him believe. Or was that what he wanted to believe? He didn't know whether he was following the student president because of blind loyalty or following Byakuran because he felt his ambitions were genuine…even if he didn't take them seriously. _I guess no one knows that person's intention…except himself._ Shouichi thought to himself.

He then looked back to Spanner, almost forgetting that he was in the room. He then slowly realized that it was rare seeing Spanner in the office. Usually, he would be too absorbed in his own work to come here. The reason why Spanner never showed up to the meetings were because Byakuran gave the treasurer so much work to do. Shouichi smiled sympathetically at Spanner. "Isn't Byakuran-sama asking a lot of you? If you need any help…"

"I don't mind. It's not something tiresome, so I don't mind putting my all into his requests." The treasurer cut off Shouichi while giving him an easy-going smile. He really did enjoy the jobs that Byakuran gave him, so it was no trouble at all. As long as he was able to do the things he loved, he had no problem with the president's outrageous requests.

Shouichi slowly took this in. He then smiled. "Thank you."

"…" As usually, Spanner was a man of few words and only responded to the redhead's appreciation by taking another sip of his tea.

Suddenly, the door slammed open revealing the missing president in a gleeful mood. The president sauntered in surprised to see both Shouichi and Spanner in the office but he greeted them normally. "Shou-chan! Otachan!" Byakuran shouted to his favorite subordinates. "What have you been up to?"

"Byakuran-sama, where have you been?" Shouichi questioned as he got up from his seat. He was trying his best not to yell at the president. How could the president waltz into the council room so carefree, knowing how much work that needs to be done?

"Out." The student president said discreetly.

"Out where?" The secretary inquired further.

Byakuran looked to his secretary as if he was insane. He placed a hand on to his hip and replied, "Outside, Shou-chan. I thought I made that clear."

Shouichi ignored the president's smart comment. "Byakuran-sama, what were you doing outside? You have a ton of work to do. The principal wants the status report by this afternoon."

"I know. I know. It'll get done….eventually. I have something more important to announce." Byakuran grinned. Who cared about work when his delicious news was more important?

Defeated, Shouichi gave up his attempts to persuade the other to do his work. He sighed heavily, knowing he was spoiling the president but he found himself not wanting to crush Byakuran's happiness. "What would that be?"

"Well, it seems that Namimori students are being attacked. I just came from the nearby hospital…fifteen of our students have been hospitalized." The president causally revealed as if he was not talking about the well being of his fellow students.

"What?!" Shouichi exclaimed.

Spanner looked up from his tea and his attention was now focused on the president. "…."

"Calm down, Shou-chan. And don't get too excited, Otachan." Byakuran continued to smile entertained by his secretary's reactions. "All the students have been diagnosed with food poisoning."

"Food poisoning?" Shouichi frowned. "Is there something wrong with the cafeteria food?"

Byakuran sighed heavily and was annoyed that Shouichi thought so simply. The president knew that his secretary was very intelligent but sometimes the other thought more of the obvious rather than the bigger picture. "Shou-chan…sometimes I think you're so dense. Think outside of the box. The students are not getting sick from our food. It's an outside source."

"Outside source?" Shouichi questioned.

"Just keep that in mind." The student president said with his all-knowing smile. "There is one other thing. Recently, the students have been getting a hold of very smutty material. And no…it's not Otachan's doujinshi."

"Isn't that normal? This is an all boys school." Shouichi shrugged his shoulders; he didn't understand why this was important. This school was full of teenaged boys and it was normal for them to have an interest in these things.

Byakuran nodded. "That is true and this wouldn't bother me that much if it was just some pin up model." The white haired upperclassmen looked to Shouichi with some fury in his violet eyes. He then continued to speak in an irritated tone. "However, the subject is someone I know. Someone I adore. No one should be allowed to leer at him in that way except me."

"Oh? Do you mean the photo books?" Spanner said out of the blue. Byakuran's and Shouichi's attention came to the blonde treasurer as he spoke. Ignoring the stares of interest that his president and secretary gave him, the mechanic continued. "I have three of those."

"Otachan! You're also supporting this?! Why didn't you share?!" Byakuran glared at his treasurer. He felt betrayed by Spanner. Most people knew that, Byakuran and Spanner had bonded over pornography and anything anime related. It was something they shared. And to know that the blonde had kept something so precious away from him, hurt Byakuran more than any ache he has ever known. On top of that, he was kind of was suspicious of the treasurer's motives. He still couldn't get over Spanner seducing his lovely tuna fish. "And I thought I knew you. How could you keep this from me?"

"………………………….sorry." Spanner said softly after sipping his tea.

"…………………………..Okay. I forgive you." Byakuran pardoned Spanner. The white president then beamed brilliantly at his treasurer. "Are we still on for the Pico Marathon? That new OVA came out…"

"Byakuran-sama….that's beside the point." The red haired secretary scolded Byakuran and then turned to Spanner. "What are you talking about? Photo books?"

"Someone's been selling books with pictures of Tsuna. The main objective of the books is to show Tsunayoshi in a positive light .Very softcore." Spanner further elaborated.

Byakuran confirmed this. "Apparently, someone has been infuriating the school and taking pictures of our precious mascot. They've taken pictures of him when he's most vulnerable. How could someone invade his privacy like that? The nerve…"

The blonde mechanic chimed in. "They even have photos of him dressed in the bunny costume that I made for him."

Byakuran sharply turned to Spanner and demanded. "Where is it?!"

"Byakuran-sama!" The secretary rebuked his president. Although, he wanted his president to stay on track, he was also mortified by his perverted fascination with Tsuna. "Focus, please. I believe you had a point to both announcements. Are they both related?"

The president turned back to his red haired secretary and complied. "That's right both cases are related. The students who were mainly affected by the food poisoning are either a part of the disciplinary committee or random students who happened to be in the same area as where the photos were taken. I believe that whoever is taking these photos of Tsu-chan is working with the poisoner. Or they could be the same person but something tells me its two people. The person who is poisoning the students is either doing it to clear the way for the photographer or to avoid detection."

"How did you figure that out?" Shouichi was astonished by how Byakuran came to this deduction. He was even suspicious of how the Byakuran knew where the photos were taken. Had the pervert look at the books too? Boy, his president had a problem.

Byakuran gave Shouichi his fox-like smile and responded. "Secret skill number 23, extraordinary investigational skills."

The secretary knew that Byakuran had special skills but he felt as if the two weren't related. Both incidents were too different to be in relation to each other. Shouichi frowned. "But couldn't it be a coincidence?"

These were one of the few moments that the student president actually looked worried. He shook his head softly. "Shou-chan, there are no such things as coincidences. This is a real eye opener for me. I thought, Tsu-chan was virtually safe but I thought wrong. If people are able to sneak around the school and take pictures of him…imagine what else they could do to him."

The red haired boy sighed. "Is that why you told Hibari-san to…"

The white haired president cut Shouichi off before he finished his sentence. "No, I never thought this would happen. Anyway, I have an idea who the criminals are."

"Already?" Shouichi asked, astonished.

"I had helped though. My 'fiancée' told me." Byakuran beamed at his secretary.

Shouichi looked at Byakuran surprisingly. It was rare that he would speak about his fiancée. It had always been a tender topic that Shouichi avoided with great caution. However, seeing how unfazed his president was after speaking of her existence and also admitting to her assistance in finding their culprit, Shouichi assumed their relationship bettered. The secretary wanted to inquire further about his fiancée, he decided to respect his discreetness and not pry. "So what will you do?"

"I'll let them do as they please, for now." The student president answered. The student president couldn't help but grin as his secretary gave him a disapproving look. Shouichi never agreed with his madness but he was thankful that the other never questioned his motives. And that was the reason he kept Shouichi and Spanner, so close. He then admitted. "Plus, I'm kind of interested in the books too. Otachan, you have to let me borrow your copies."

The blonde mechanic smiled. "Sure. I already pre-ordered two more."

"Byakuran-sama, Spanner-san, have some shame? Sawada-san wouldn't appreciate it. Do him a favor and take those books away from the students." The red haired secretary reprimanded the two.

"Yes, Shou-chan! That's a great idea. If we confiscate all the photo books from the students, then no one but me can gaze at them. Brilliant plan!" Byakuran grinned in excitement. The mere thought that all of Tsuna's photo books coming under his possession made him giddy.

_Did you only listen to what you wanted to hear?!_ Shouichi thought to himself. His right eyebrow twitched with a seething anger but he managed to keep it under control. "No…destroy all of them." He demanded.

"Shou-chan, you're no fun!" The student president whined.

--

"GYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" Tsuna screamed as a few throwing knives missed his head by a few inches. Unluckily, a few locks of his unruly hair were captured by the blade. The brunette's shoulders slumped a bit as the current danger had passed. He took a deep breath as the prince took a break from tormenting Tsuna. The brunette had been dragged to the seventh floor of the sky dorm into Squalo's room. After, the loud-mouthed student went through the trouble of bring him here, he left him in the care of the psychotic prince. The blonde student named Belphegor made quick work of torturing him by making him one of his toys. One of the games that the prince was currently playing with Tsuna was "Bull's Eye". Which explained why the poor protagonist was shackled down to a dartboard.

Belphegor snickered. "Shishishi. The doll has an interesting scream."

He watched as the blonde came closer and Tsuna quickly began to struggle with the shackles that bound him to the wall. They wouldn't bulge no matter how violently he struggled. He groaned as he twisted his hand the wrong way during the struggle. "Ow…"

"Shishishi. Those shackles are impossible to break. It's been passed down from generation from generation." The blonde smiled, very amused in seeing the small brunette thrash about.

_So…your whole family is crazy, huh?_ Tsuna mused to himself. He then stiffened as Belphegor held a throwing knife to his cheek. The brunette shuddered as the cool blade brushed against his flushed skin. Tsuna panicked as the prince's grin widened. There was nothing creepier than being at knife-point with the human version of the Cheshire cat. The grinning psycho was the reason he got shackled in the first place. He didn't even want to know, what the "prince" had in store for him next.

Suddenly, the prince's loud companion stormed into the room. His blue eyes witnessed the situation and then his voice thundered. "VOOOOOOOOOI! WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO THE BRAT?!"

"Playing." The prince replied in his usual child-like tone, pulling his knife away from Tsuna's cheek.

"THAT'S NOT HOW YOU PLAY WITH BRATS!" Squalo loudly disagreed

Belphegor smirked with interest. "Oh? How do you play with them?"

The student council representative thought about this for a second or two. Then he finally answered. " YOU BLOW THEM UP! CUT THEIR HEADS OFF! MELT THEM UNDER THE SUN! FLUSH THEM DOWN THE TOLIET! BURY THEM IN THE GROUND!"

_What kind of dolls did he play with when he was little?!_ Tsuna stared widened eyed at Squalo.

"The vice president would be very pissed if we blew up the doll." Belphegor frowned at the shark's violent suggestions and reminded the other about the fiery vice president. He then turned back to Tsuna and grinned. "Isn't the doll our school's mascot?"

"SO WHAT?" Squalo answered not knowing what the blonde was getting at.

"How about we play dress up? The doll would make a nice princess." Belphegor hummed sweetly as he continued to grin at Tsuna.

_What?! _Tsuna exclaimed.

"WHAT?! WHY DOES HE HAVE TO DRESS UP AS A PRINCESS?!" The Student Council Representative questioned.

Belphegor justified his choice of persona. "Because a prince needs a princess."

_But I'm a guy._ Tsuna mentally stated.

"NO! WE SHOULD MAKE HIM INTO A MERMAID!!" Squalo demanded passionately.

_Let's not do that either._ Tsuna frowned as Squalo's choice wasn't any better.

"No…a princess." Belphegor insisted.

"MERMAID!!" The long haired swords barked.

The Prince sneered heatedly. "Princess…"

Squalo withdrew his blade from out of thin air and pointed it at Belphegor's neck.

"MERMAID!! DAMN IT! I'M GETTING TIRED OF THAT SHITTY FACE OF YOURS. HOW ABOUT I SLICE IT OFF!"

Belphegor fearlessly placed his hands onto his ears and smirked at Squalo. "You're voice hurts my royal ears. Shishishi. I should cut your tongue out."

"BRING IT ON!! I'LL FUCK YOUR SHIT UP! YOU FUCKING SHITHEAD!!" The white haired swordsman shouted preparing to strike the prince down.

"Die…" Belphegor said icily, taking out his own knives.

Once again, the swordsman and the knife wielder were engaged in another violent battle. Tsuna had never met such a rowdy duo before. Not even Gokudera was this bad. Although, the silver-haired terrorist was easy to offend and he was ready to fight anyone…even if the opponent was much stronger than him; however, what separate Gokudera from the Squalo and Belphegor was that Gokudera only fought to protect himself and others. The brunette began to miss his other friends. If he hadn't avoided them, then he would have never been caught by Squalo and Belphegor. The brunette just watched helplessly as the two fought making the entire room their battlefield. The sounds of broken materials cracking under the power of blades or being slammed against a solid object filled the room. The room shook, rattled and was turned up side down, it was amazing how much damage two people could produce.

The doors to the room slammed open and in the doorframe was a seething vice president. The red eyes of Xanxus watched the onslaught of two individuals responsible for disturbing his sleep. Everyday it was the same shit and he was getting tired of it. If it wasn't against the rules to kill students, he would have decapitated them a long time. Xanxus growled. "What are you pieces of trash doing now?! I'm trying to fucking sleep!"

Tsuna's eyes fell on Xanxus, who suddenly burst into the room. Tsuna cowered against the wall. _My day doesn't seem to get any better. _He thought to himself.

At hearing the vice president's voice Belphegor and Squalo both halted in trying to kill one another. Their attention was now brought to the menacing man at the doorframe. Squalo was the first to speak. The shark retorted. "NO ONE TOLD YOU TO TAKE A FUCKING NAP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DAY!"

The vice president's eyes burned into Squalo. In a flash, Xanxus had picked up some random item in arms reach and thrown it at Squalo. Tsuna watched as the hurled object was too fast for the swordsman to dodge and inevitably took him down in one shot. The vice president replied. "You were the dickhead that was the loudest. No fucking surprise there."

Unlike, Squalo the blonde feared the vice president's wrath and decided to choose his words carefully. He grinned nervously. "Shishishi, we were only playing with the doll."

"Doll?" Xanxus' red eyes searched the room and fell on the shackled Tsuna.

To Tsuna, the vice president's eyes felt more like the rays of scorching sunlight than a normal gaze and it made him squirm a little being under the Xanxus' scrutinizing eye. Tsuna felt embarrassed to be in this position. He was ashamed that the vice president or any person could see him like this. The protagonist' eyes widen at seeing the vice president pull out two guns from some unknown place amongst his body. The guns were black except large red X's on each side of the weapons.

_This person is already intimidating…why does the psycho need guns on top of that?!_ Tsuna commented to himself. He watched as Xanxus pointed one gun at him and the brunette swore he was going pass out then and there. However, what kept Tsuna conscious was that Xanxus pointed the other gun at Belphegor.

"Release the brat." Tsuna heard Xanxus demand and at first, the young freshman thought he heard the vice president wrong. However, obediently the prince came over to Tsuna and undid the fastenings. Tsuna was happy to be released after being tormented by Belphegor, which seemed to be hours compared to the actually minutes elapsed. The brunette turned to Xanxus for gratitude, yet Tsuna stopped cold in his tracks, forgetting that the vice president's gun was still trained on him.

"You're coming with me." Xanxus told Tsuna. The vice president watched as Tsuna didn't seem pleased to hear his order. He frowned, narrowing his eyes at Tsuna. "Do you have a problem with what I just said?"

The brunette opted for sign language and shook his head. He didn't want to push Xanxus even further off the edge. Tsuna believed that if he cooperated with the vice president then, the upperclassmen would have no reasons to hurt him. Tsuna quickly left Belphegor's side and walked over to Xanxus's side, Tsuna kept his eyes trained to the floor afraid that if he looked to the vice president, he would melt under the burning stare.

"VOOOI! I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT! THE BRAT ISN'T GOING ANYWHERE." The swordsman recovered and showing his resistance by pointing his sword at the vice president.

Xanxus glared at Squalo, it was obvious that the vice president was irritated. Instead of voicing his annoyance to Squalo, he slammed his foot into the other's face. Squalo took the hit and crumbled down to the ground. "It's time for your bedtime. Shut up and go to sleep."

"Looks like the vice president wanted to play with the doll too." Belphegor's tongue also slipped.

"What was that?!" Xanxus barked at Belphegor and dared the other to repeat the smart ass remark while both of his guns were aimed at the prince.

"Nothing." The prince submissively replied.

"Good." Xanxus lowered one of his guns and then pointed the other elevated gun at Tsuna. The vice president almost laughed seeing the brunette flinch as the gun was aimed toward at him.

"Walk." Xanxus ordered.

Tsuna complied, not wanting to be shot; he imagined that the pain would be excruciating. Xanxus lead him at gun point to his room, which was very close to Squalo's. It was no wonder that the vice president's sleep was disturbed. The vice president had left his room ajar and it was obvious that Xanxus left his room in great haste. Tsuna paused not knowing whether to go in or not…part of him wanted to risk everything and sprint down the hallway. However, the barrel of the gun being pressed against his back ended those thoughts. Tsuna walked into the room and found it to be a bit bigger than Squalo's. He assumed it was because Xanxus held a higher place on the council than the student council representative.

Tsuna had to admit that the room was nicely decorated. This room had a very Victorian feel to it and it was a style that the brunette would have never guessed the other of favoring. His tawny eyes fell over the striped white and pale blue wall paper on the walls and the white bordering along the floor and the ceiling. The floor was wooden and the color of a dark wood. The rest of the furniture matched the same color as the wood on the floor. Tsuna admired the beautiful craftsmanship of the vice president's drawers, dressers, desks, chairs and tables. Each had beautiful carvings of flowers on the wood. The plainest thing in Xanxus's room was his bed, although it was a king-size, it was simply designed. Tsuna also noticed that many paintings don the walls. The whole room looked so expensive, just by standing within it Tsuna felt out of place.

Xanxus lead him to a small sitting area that was set up in his room. On top of an expensive looking Persian carpet were two tall chairs, facing each other. On each side of the chairs was a small end table and in front of the chairs was a small ottoman. The fabric on the foot stool matched the small pattern on the tall chairs. The upholstery on the future seemed so delicate. "Sit down." Xanxus ordered, lifting the gun off of Tsuna's back.

"O-okay!" The brunette obediently sat down in the seat he was ordered to. He watched as his gun-totting vice president sat in a seat opposite of his. No longer did the vice president point his gun at him but instead he sat it on the small ottoman. Tsuna felt himself become more relieved knowing that the gun wasn't too close to Xanxus. He then observe as the vice president got comfortable in his chair, slouching into it and resting his long legs onto the ottoman next to his gun. His red eyes no longer bore into him; instead he considered the other in a nonchalant stare. For moments there was this awkward silence between them. Tsuna had no idea why Xanxus would want him in a room alone with him. Seeing that the other was not making any attempts to speak with him, the brunette decided to break the ice. Tsuna began timidly. "Xanxus-san, did you mean what you said? You said you wanted to destroy me."

"If you give me a good enough reason to…I will." Xanxus answered briskly without looking at Tsuna. The brunette began to cower in fear of the other. He decided to choose his words very carefully for now on; he didn't want to give Xanxus a reason to hurt him. Before, Tsuna could respond to Xanxus' previous comment, the red-eyed Italian beat him to it. "Why do you hang out with scum like Byakuran?"

Tsuna looked up at Xanxus, surprised by the question he had been asked. The brunette shrugged. "I don't hang out with him. I consider Byakuran-san as a friend but I'm not that close with him."

Xanxus' eyes narrowed slightly. "Are you lying to me?"

"No! It's the truth!" Tsuna squealed, feeling the weight of the other's glare.

"He talks about you as if you're the savior of the school or something. He has a lot of faith in you. I don't know why. You look fucking pathetic to me." Xanxus scoffed. The vice president believed in what Tsuna told because the exact same answer was reported to him by his informant. Tsuna had only encountered the student president a couple of times since he arrived to the school and according to his informant; Tsuna had no connections to Byakuran outside of the school either. The vice president was still clueless on why this brat was so important to that clown of a president. Xanxus knew he would never find the truth from the enigmatic Byakuran but he could possibly get information from Tsuna. He continued, "However, by some kind of magic, you miraculously get things accomplished. You're like a fucking Mary Sue."

_Have you been wishing for my failure?! _Tsuna thought to himself. He decided not to voice his opinions out loud. Tsuna agreed that he would be better off being pleasant and trying not to push the other's buttons. Like Xanxus, Tsuna was also suspicious of his growing popularity in school. He was sure he would have messed up but so far, he has accomplished winning the hearts of many.

The chestnut haired freshman smiled timidly. "That is true. I'm used to being no good Tsuna but now, I'm not like that at all. I'm bad at things and it doesn't seem right that everything I do turns out okay. I guess I am kind of like a Mary Sue."

The vice president watched as the younger boy smiled at him kindly. Xanxus found it so hard to hate this person. He couldn't hate him, when he first met the other quivering in fear under his gaze. He couldn't admit to himself that Tsuna, actually did look good in that bunny outfit. Although, he used the gun to intimidate Tsuna, he knew he would be unable to pull the trigger. The thing that bothered Xanxus the most was that fucking student president had predicted this. He had been right and Xanxus knew he wouldn't hear the end of it.

The vice president looked away from Tsuna's smiling face, for him it was too sugary to swallow. He then asked, "How the hell did you get caught by those idiots?"

"I was trying to stop Squalo from trashing someone's room." Tsuna confessed as he scratched his chin, embarrassed that his attempt to stop Squalo ended in his kidnapping.

"That piece of trash does that sometimes." Xanxus said casually.

_That doesn't make things okay?!_ Tsuna thought.

Xanxus noticed Tsuna's surprised face and decided that he should explain a little more. "He's always doing something unnecessary. That loud-mouthed shithead was probably still angry about what that piece of trash said about the student council."

_Squalo had done that, because of the student council?_ The freshman began to think better of the swordsman. It wasn't right to attack people because their opinions differed from your own but, he could understand why Squalo had done so, if Mochida-san had said something terrible. "Xanxus." Tsuna called to the scarred vice president. The brunette tried not to flinch as the other's fiery red eyes shot up at him. He then swallowed a scream and asked his question. "Why do you beat on Squalo-san so much?"

Xanxus listened to Tsuna's question and couldn't help being irritated by the mere mention of the stupid shark. The older boy huffed. "Haven't you heard the shithead speak? He's fucking annoying! He doesn't know how to keep his damn mouth shut."

Tsuna couldn't help but laugh at that. In a way, Tsuna shared the same sentiment but he would never have said it so eloquently as Xanxus had. He then smiled at the other. "At least, he's enthusiastic."

"Enthusiastic my ass. He's just an annoying piece of trash." Xanxus further ridiculed the swordsman.

Tsuna was still curious of Squalo and Xanxus's relationship. From what he saw today and on that day, he first met Xanxus and Squalo, the two seem like enemies. However, there was something off. Byakuran had said that their bond was hard to explain, it was hard to pin the phrase "friend" on to them. To confirm his suspicions Tsuna asked. "But you still value his friendship, right?"

Xanxus frowned deeply at Tsuna. Was the brunette not listening to what he just said? Hadn't he told the freshman how annoying that creature was? Didn't he voice his exasperation enough? Nonetheless, Xanxus decided to set the record straight, he didn't want people getting the wrong idea. Him and Squalo….friends? What kind of horseshit was that?!

"Friendship? What are you talking about? I have no need for something like that." Xanxus stated coldly. Tsuna looked to the dark haired upperclassmen crestfallen but before he could question his reasoning, he noticed a glint in the vice president's eyes. The brunette had seen something that Xanxus had not intended him to see. There was pain in those crimson orbs.

No matter what the reason was for Xanxus' statement he couldn't stomach it. Tsuna had lived most of his life without friends and it had been terrible. Coming here, he realized how much friendship meant to him. Although, he was mad at his friends currently, Tsuna still hoped that they will still be there for him. He didn't know what he would do if he lost their friendship. To him, the scariest thing in this point of his life was losing all his friends and being ignored once more.

He frowned at Xanxus. Even though, the other said he didn't need such a thing, he felt it was a lie. To always be by one side's self was incredibly painful. It was pain that Tsuna knew all so well. Albeit, it would never be a pain similar to Xanxus's but he was sure he wasn't far from the likeness. Without thinking, Tsuna responded. "But…I would like to be…Xanxus's friend."

Xanxus looked to Tsuna, not believing what the other was saying. Why would he want to be his friend? Did he bump his head when he wasn't looking? Xanxus snorted. "So you can stab me in the back? No thank you. I have enough assholes to do the job."

Of course he didn't believe that Xanxus would agree to be his friend so quickly but he was even more upset that the vice president placed him in the same category as the people who had harmed him. Tsuna didn't know the people who had hurt Xanxus but he knew he wasn't like that. "I would never do something like that. How would I gain from that?"

"I don't know but I'm not taking the chance especially on someone like you. Someone like you has probably only seen the world through rose-colored glasses." The vice president sneered.

The brunette was insulted. It was true that he would never understand Xanxus's pain or what kind of world the Italian experienced. The vice president's life was probably nothing compared to his own ordinary life but Tsuna still wanted to know. Tsuna wanted to understand.

"Even a person who's only seen the world through rose-colored glasses also gets lonely and frustrated. My life may not have been as hard as yours but that doesn't mean I've never gone through hardships. My life has never been easy." Tsuna spoke softly. He then looked to Xanxus to see if his words had any affect on him. To the brunette's chagrin, the scarred vice president was unfazed. The brunette decided not to push it and move on. It was obviously a tender subject for Xanxus and something terrible must have occurred in vice president's life for him to no longer trust in anyone.

"You would never understand…" Xanxus whispered so lowly, that Tsuna could hardly hear him. The brunette didn't know why but he felt happy that other replied. It made him feel as if there was some hope in getting to Xanxus.

"But I would like to understand." Tsuna smiled warmly at the other. "I don't want you to be my enemy. After all, you did save me from Squalo and Belphegor."

Xanxus watched Tsuna smile at him. Most people were too afraid of him to even glance in his direction. The few people who did smile at him were those idiots that liked to associate with him and scum like Byakuran and Mukuro. However, in the case of Byakuran and Mukuro, it wasn't even a kind smile but a mocking one. That was the reason why he hated the student president and the damned delinquent. Xanxus could tell that Tsuna's smile was truly genuine, as were his words. The vice president wanted to believe in Tsuna but he couldn't forget what has happened to him. Xanxus tried to ignore the alluring light that was Tsunayoshi Sawada but he couldn't. The vice president even went to such lengths as closing his eyes and placing a hand over them, to hide from the other's influence. Xanxus was even contemplating on whether or not he should shoot the damn saint and end his misery! To Tsuna, it seem like the president was in great pain and he assumed that vice president was experiencing a migraine.

"Xanxus?" The brunette spoke in a worried tone as he got up from his seat and went over to the older student. He stood over the other body and looked down at him but still Vice president didn't bulged. Instinctively, Tsuna extended his hand towards the upperclassmen to see if he had some sort of fever. The brunette inquired. "Are you okay?"

"What is this magic?" The scarred student whispered bitterly and with his eyes still closed, he grabbed a hold of Tsuna's incoming hand. The vice president slowly opened his red eyes and looked up at Tsuna. Xanxus then roughly yanked the smaller boy down to him, making Tsuna straddled his lap and becoming only inches away from his face. "What kind of trick did you use?"

"Xanxus..." Tsuna gasped, blushing fiercely at how close he was to the vice president. Tsuna went totally numb as the vice president fiercely pressed his lips against his own. It was the heat of Xanxus's lips that stilled him. The warmth from the upperclassmen's lips danced from his own lips to his soul and Tsuna's mind began to defer any thought of resistance. It wasn't because Xanxus was a good kisser; there was something about the other's touch that seemed familiar. Although, the vice president was a total stranger to him, it seemed that he had been touched by him before or like this by someone else. Tsuna wasn't afraid of the warmth at all but there something about it, that made his body react. The brunette felt safe. He felt almost like a kitten, curling up against the warmth of its owner.

Xanxus' skillful tongue played over his lips and then gained access into the darkness of his mouth. The brunette shuddered as the upperclassmen ran his tongue against the roof of his month, very slowly. Tsuna became drunk over the sensual stroke. Xanxus continued the explorations of Tsuna's mouth by tracing his own tongue along the edges of Tsuna's. The brunette let out a tiny moan as the other continued his ministrations. The vice president intimately danced with Tsuna's tongue until he grew bored and release the freshman from their oral embrace. The dark haired upperclassmen then found new interest in the Tsuna's swan-like neck and began to lay heated kisses upon the other's pale skin. The dazed freshman softly sighed as the vice president continued to induce him into euphoria with his blazing kisses.

A sudden eerie feeling woke the protagonist from his ecstatic stupor. For moments he allowed the vice president to devour him, while he tried to make sense of this creepy awareness that gnawed at him. As he felt one of Xanxus' hands go under his shirt, Tsuna sensed that someone was coming. The brunette didn't know how he came to such a conclusion but there was something in his heart that told him not to ignore it. The presence of the person arriving was very familiar and it was obvious to Tsuna, that this person notified him deliberately to gain his attention.

"Kufufu. As entertaining as this show is...I can't let you continue." The illusionist's voice echoed in the room as a thick mist enveloped the space. At the sound of the mysterious newcomer's voice, Xanxus stopped his ministrations and took notice of what was going on. He looked to Tsuna, who's eyes were transfixed on one particular spot.

"Mukuro…" Tsuna whispered, confirming his own suspicions. Tsuna slightly cowered into Xanxus' chest as Mukuro's image became clearer in the heavy mist. The body of Mukuro Rokudo stood a few inches away from them and once more, the delinquent was clad in his own version of the Namimori school uniform. The other's heterochromatic eyes observed the gawking faces of Xanxus and Tsuna, who were very surprised by the illusionist's entrance. As soon as Mukuro's form became visible, the mist dispersed and evaporated into thin air. Mukuro looked adoringly towards Tsuna, who was his main reason for his emergence.

"Oya Oya. Did you miss me that much, Tsunayoshi-kun? I'll be sure to make up for my long absence." The illusionist promised.

_No…that's alright. Don't trouble yourself. _Tsuna replied in his head, not having the courage to tell Mukuro this verbally.

Xanxus glared at the dark haired anti-christ that materialized himself into his room. "How dare you show your face here?" The vice president questioned.

Mukuro looked to the vice president as if the illusionist just realized that the other was present. He grinned and said very slowly. "Long time no see, Vice president. Second best as always I see."

Each word that Mukuro spoke was like daggers and the vice president responded to them very predictably. Xanxus was so angered by Mukuro's remark that the vice president abruptly stood up, sending Tsuna on to the floor. Ignoring the loud thump at his feet, Xanxus cursed the illusionist. "Fuck you!"

The illusionist looked at Tsuna amusingly as the young boy was sprawled out on the floor. Mukuro then turned his attention to the vice president, giggling at his failed attempt of a comeback. "Kufufu. No thank you but Tsunayoshi on the other hand…I wouldn't mind." Mukuro's smile no longer was mocking but grew a bit cruel. The dark haired delinquent seriously ordered. "Now, I'll be taking Tsunayoshi…he doesn't belong to you."

_I'm not property! _Tsuna frowned as he sat on the floor watched the two argue amongst themselves.

Xanxus had already equipped himself with his guns and they were now aimed at the cunning illusionist. The vice president snarled. "No. How about you go to hell, you fucking scum."

"I've already been there…" Mukuro smirked as his trident appeared into his gloved hands. He then replied as he charged towards the scarred Italian. "And it was lukewarm."

Xanxus didn't hesitate to shoot the illusionist as he came towards him. Tsuna watched as the guns began to glow an orange light and a threatening force was shot out of the firearms. The thing that had been expelled by the vice president's weapon appeared like a flame. Tsuna has never seen anything like it before, the brunette both admired and feared its unique power. Quickly, Mukuro was able to dodge by leaping quickly to the left before the attack had nicked him. The flame-like bullet slammed into the wall instead and burnt a hole right through it.

"Kufufu. That's a scary weapon you have." Mukuro commend the Xanxus, admiring the large opening that was created from the blast. He then turned back to Xanxus who was already preparing to attack again. "Perhaps…I should finish this off quickly."

Mukuro raced towards Xanxus at the same time the vice president had fired another round. Simultaneously, the illusionist managed to deflect the bullet by hitting his trident against the firearms, making them tilt upwards. Xanxus's attack went towards the ceiling instead of its original topic. Tsuna covered his head as debris from the damaged ceiling fell to the ground. Once dust and debris cleared, Tsuna's eyes found Xanxus and Mukuro. The brunette's eyes widen as Mukuro was somehow able to disarm the vice president. During the debris fall, the illusionist must have been able to knock Xanxus's guns out of his hands. Xanxus gritted his teeth, knowing he had lost to Mukuro. Without his guns, he would not be able to attack. The vice president knew better to participate in hand to hand combat with Mukuro because that would be a losing battle. He was well aware that the dark haired delinquent had a dangerous trump card in the form of the other's red eye.

"Let's re-enact that traumatizing period in your life." Mukuro's red eye revealed the kanji of the number one as he spins his trident with his fingertips and slams the staff into the floor. Instantly, the room grew very cold. Suddenly, freezing cold winds began to blow all about Xanxus's room. However, the torrents of the chilling winds were focused only on the vice president. The gusts of wind began to encircle the vice president, slowly freezing him. Xanxus was paralyzed from head to toe, by the icy gales that blew around him. The scarred upperclassman could do nothing to defend himself. Soon the icy tendrils had completely imprisoned him in ice.

Tsuna realized that it was not Mukuro's intention to place him under the illusion, his main target was Xanxus. In reality, the vice president was not frozen in ice but was completely paralyzed from head to toe. It was as if time had stopped around the vice president and the Italian became as stationary as a doll. The freshman frowned wondering if Xanxus was being hurt by Mukuro's illusions and he also wondered what Mukuro meant when he placed the vice president under his illusion. _Re-enacting a traumatizing period in Xanxus' life?_ Tsuna thought to himself. The brunette turned his eyes to the smirking illusionist.

"What did you do to Xanxus?" Tsuna demanded of the delinquent.

Mukuro glanced to the frozen Xanxus triumphantly and then turned to Tsuna. A smug smile traced his lips as he explained his deed. "Kufufu. I placed him in a wonderful dream."

"Will he be hurt?" The brunette asked sincerely. He already knew that Xanxus had lost trust in others and he felt upperclassmen estranged himself from getting to close to people. Tsuna felt he was making a breakthrough and now that would all be erased due to this humiliation. Tsuna was afraid that the other may close his heart to him once more after this incident.

The dark haired illusionist was surprised by Tsuna's concern over Xanxus. Mukuro then smiled slowly to himself, he didn't think a person that would worried about Xanxus ever existed. However, he had been proven wrong not only once or twice by Tsuna but thrice. He never thought an ordinary person like Tsuna could gain both Hibari's and Byakuran's interests. Now, this boy was able to sway even Xanxus. Part of Mukuro wanted to distance himself from the adored freshman and another side of him wanted to desperately see what was so extraordinary about the brunette.

Mukuro stepped towards the tawny-eyed freshman and watched as the adorable creature, crawled backwards away from him. The illusionist snickered as Tsuna moved in a crab-like fashion to make a speedily escape. In the mist of trying to escape from the illusionist, Tsuna clumsily bumped harshly against Xanxus's bed, cornering him. Mukuro was already hovering over him keeping Tsuna from getting up, slowly crouched down to the freshman's level. The dark-haired delinquent then smiled deliciously at Tsuna, cupping the other's cheek with his gloved hands. Mukuro leaned into Tsuna and then whispered into the petrified boy's ear. "If you cooperate…he won't."

Chapter Nine End

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Author's Note: Well, It seems I could only get chapters eight and nine out by October. However, Chapter ten will be special because the story has reached ten chapters, which I believe is a great achievement. For that chapter I promised myself to have Tsuna mascot again. Anything else about Chapter ten…I'm not leaking out. Also, some reviewers mentioned that I should add the girls in. I did plan on having the girls appear but I haven't decided when. And they haven't been totally invisible lately either, I've been dropping hints of their involvement in the storyline. I know there was a large hint in this chapter. I hoped you liked this chapter as well as the past chapters. Thank you Mithras151 for checking this chapter. Please show your love for my story by reviewing; they really do encourage me to keep going. Suggestions are always welcome…as long as they have good intentions behind them.


	10. Tsuna the Prey

Hungry for Tsuna

A Katekyo Hitman Reborn Fanfiction

Disclaimer: Katekyo Hitman Reborn is property of Akira Amano

Chapter Ten: Tsuna the Prey

Chapter Ten Summary: Tsuna is willing to give anything for Xanxus' release but someone will not stand for it.

"If you cooperate…He won't." Whispered Mukuro, as he leaned over the brunette's paralyzed body.

Tsuna's tawny eyes watched as the midnight haired delinquent pulled away from his ear, after speaking his message. He looked into the other's crimson and cerulean eyes, trying to figure out the other's motives. However, those eyes only reflected the presumptuous façade of Mukuro. The freshman decided that if he could not read Mukuro from his eyes and was forced to ask the illusionist of his motives. "Why are you doing this?" The brunette questioned.

"Kufufu…isn't it obvious? It's because I'm a bad person. Bad people tend to do malicious things to the innocent." The midnight haired upperclassmen smirked.

Tsuna frowned looking up to the illusionist's heterochromatic eyes. Although, Mukuro have done things that he didn't agree with, Tsuna didn't think the other was evil. His reasoning may be morally wrong but he couldn't see the other as fiendishly as the other perceived himself to be. _Mukuro…I know you're not truly a bad person. There has to be a reason why you're doing this, _thought Tsuna. He knew the illusionist would never tell him the object of his intentions easily. Tsuna studied Mukuro as he condescendingly hovered over him and he noticed that the other had not tried to put him under an illusion. Was he missing something?

The brunette inquired further."Why aren't you putting me under an illusion? Wouldn't it be easier that way?"

"I decided to have fun with you in this way." The dark-haired molester replied smoothly and then he closed the distance between himself and Tsuna, slowly, leaning into the frightened creature under him. He watched as the other's pink inviting lips slightly tremble as his own, only lingered a few millimeters away. He then breathed against the other's mouth. "Plus, I get your undivided attention."

Tsuna blushed madly as the illusionist came so close to him. The hot breath against his skin made shiver. Hearing the other's velvety voice up so close made his heart beat a bit faster. Having the other in such close proximity made him anxious. The brunette couldn't bring himself to look away from the other's alluring heterochromatic eyes. Nor could he find the strength to push the older boy away and make his escape. However, if he did manage to run away, Xanxus would be still under the illusionist's hold. Tsuna knew that he wouldn't be able to leave this place with a clear conscience unless he complied with Mukuro.

"What do you want me to do?" Tsuna asked weakly. As soon as the words fell from his lips, he knew he was damning himself. The brunette knew that going along with Mukuro was a bad idea but it was the only option he had.

"I wonder. I wouldn't release him unless it's worthwhile." An amused Mukuro replied.

Tsuna frowned; he had nothing to offer the illusionist. He was poor and there was nothing interesting amongst his possessions. At this point, the brunette was willing to give anything. If it was something he could do in exchange Xanxus's release, he wouldn't mind. "A-anything you want." Tsuna offered.

"Are you sure, Tsunayoshi-kun? You should be careful with your words. You might regret them later." The dark haired molester warned. He couldn't help smiling at how stupid Tsuna was being and it almost made him feel bad for black mailing the poor freshman. Almost. Mukuro didn't care…if the brunette was going to be stupid about it then he had no obligation to go easy on him.

Tsuna considered Mukuro's words but stubbornly stuck to his own words. "That may be so but it was my decision. You're not forcing me to do it. I want to help, Xanxus."

"Well, it seems your mind is made up." Mukuro continued to smile and rose to his feet. The illusionist then extended his hand to Tsuna. At first the freshman hesitated in taking the other's hand but he ignored his distrust for the other, accepting the Mukuro's hand. Once up he noticed that Mukuro's attention was not on him. Although, the illusionist was looking at him, the other's heterochromatic eyes were distant. Tsuna watched the molester slowly add. "But…someone wouldn't allow me to get my way. Right, Hibari Kyoya?"

Mukuro turned towards the dark haired prefect. The brunette's tawny eyes widen at seeing the familiar discipliner standing at the threshold of Xanxus's room. Tsuna wanted to rejoice but by the murderous look that Hibari gave both of them, the brunette knew that he was in trouble. The prefect had warned him, just a couple days ago, that he should stay away from Mukuro. And lo and behold, here he was standing next to said illusionist. Tsuna could almost see the blood boiling within the prefect and he didn't blame him. The brunette considered that he would also be angry, if he gave someone a warning and they ignored it.

"Why are you crowding with that?" The prefect asked Tsuna but Hibari's cold blue eyes were trained on the illusionist.

_He's a that?!_ Tsuna exclaimed to himself. He then looked to Hibari sympathetically. "I didn't mean to." Tsuna apologized.

Mukuro observed the exchange between Tsuna and Hibari. It was obvious to the midnight blue haired molester that Hibari had ordered Tsuna to stay away from him. He couldn't help but grin at the seething prefect. "Oya oya. Did I get Tsunayoshi in trouble? Hibari, did you forbid him from seeing me? Are you that worried that I'll take him away from you?"

"Be quiet." Hibari hissed at Mukuro. It was his icy glare that made even Tsuna uneasy and it wasn't directed towards him. Despite this, Mukuro continued to grin at the other as if the prefect was not plotting his swift death or something close to it.

"Why? Because I spoke the truth?" The illusionist smugly inquired.

"…." Hibari was forced into silence. Was that really how he was feeling? Hibari wondered why he was getting so angry. Why did it bother him that the herbivore was with Mukuro? Why did it concern him so much?

Hibari was taken away from his thoughts when Mukuro further questioned. "Isn't that why you came?"

"I came only to uphold the order of the school." The dark haired prefect denied.

"Kufufu. Keep telling yourself that, Hibari." Mukuro shrugged his shoulders. Hibari was kind of adorable when he was in denial and he was even more amusing to look at when he was angry. However, his main ambition was the breaking of Tsuna. He had already broken Hibari. Mukuro continued sternly. "But in any case, Tsunayoshi made a deal with me. I know you heard it."

Hibari doesn't say anything. He didn't bother to deny or even acknowledge Mukuro's claims. Instead, the prefect glared at the other with an unrelenting fierceness. Unshaken by Hibari, Mukuro grabbed a hold of Tsuna's waist and held him close, despite the brunette's protest. The midnight haired delinquent then smiled. "If there are no objections then I'll collect my prize."

"No." The dark-haired boy ordered. "I will wake the monkey king."

Tsuna's eyes moved with the prefect as Hibari made his way to the motionless vice president. The brunette wondered what Hibari was going to do, in order to break Mukuro's illusion. Tsuna observed as the prefect stood before Xanxus as if he was looking at something that could not be seen by an untrained eye. He watched as the young prefect withdrew his tonfas ready to strike. Tsuna began to panic. "Hibari-san?! What are you doing? You'll hurt, Xanxus." The brunette yelled at the prefect.

Yet, his cries were ignored. Hibari whacked the Italian vice president with a single tonfa sharply at his back. As soon as the metal connected with the body of Xanxus, the illusion was broken and the vice president crumbled due to exhaustion. Tsuna was shocked at what he just witnessed but then he realized that the same thing happened to him. When he had first met Mukuro and placed under the illusionist's illusions, it was the pain of his bruise that woke him out of it._ I nearly forgot that pain can destroy illusions. _Tsuna thought to himself.

"Kufufu. You're as reckless as ever. Being so rash you could have hurt the vice president." Mukuro commented.

Hibari gazed down at the unconscious body of Xanxus and then he looked over at Mukuro and Tsuna. The prefect replied. "The monkey king is not weak."

"I didn't mean weak in that way. That particular illusion I placed him under was linked to trauma. It was the vice president's previous trauma that made my illusions stronger. If you pull someone out of an illusion like that, they can acquire mental scars. Let's hope the vice president is truly safe as you say." The molester clarified.

Tsuna's mind went totally blank after hearing this. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. Although, Tsuna initially knew that Xanxus was in danger but he didn't know that Mukuro placed under an illusion that made him relive his harmful memories. The more this played in his mind, the angrier he grew. Unbeknownst to him his body began moving on its own. He subconsciously clenched his hand into a fist and ignited the attack on the illusionist. Mukuro saw the punch coming towards him and caught it before it impacted. It was as if he anticipated that his words would anger Tsuna in some way. He slowly turned his attention to the irate brunette. He smiled as the other's tawny eyes that once held fear and innocence was now switched with a fiery anger. "Did I make you angry, Tsunayoshi-kun?" Was the illusionist's playful remark.

"H-how can you treat people that way?!" The freshman yelled. He was so angry that his whole body was trembling. He had never gotten so angry before. "No one deserves to be treated that way."

The illusionist's smugly grinned. "Because I want to."

"You're horrible…" Tsuna retorted, feeling his anger slowly leaking away.

"Didn't I tell you I was a wicked person?" Mukuro murmured as gazed at the other seriously. "Tsunayoshi. I have no intentions in being your friend or anyone else's. I don't care if you come to hate me…actually I prefer it."

Tsuna's eyes widen at hearing this. Tsuna's rage slowly leaking out of his body as he looked up at those heterochromatic eyes, seeing the other was completely serious. He had never been asked to hate a person. Tsuna could never bring himself to hate. And although, there were people who had wronged him and people who did things he disagreed with, he had never abhorred them. How could he hate Mukuro? He then softly asked the heterochromatic delinquent. "Mukuro…why do you wish to be hated?"

"Kufufu. I guess that would bother someone, who wishes to be liked." The illusionist smiled. He then brought Tsuna's relaxed fist up to his lips and laid a kiss on the other's knuckles. Mukuro could see it. This warming light that seemed to encircle the smaller boy. However, the illusionist had no desire to bask in it. He wanted to dirty it, turning it from a pure white to a tainted black. One of his favorite colors.

The brunette found himself being mesmerized by those mismatched pair of eyes. Tsuna felt as if he was placed under a spell. At first, he thought Mukuro had placed him under an illusion but Tsuna dismissed that idea, since nothing seemed out of the ordinary. As Tsuna looked deeper, he realized what had drawn his attention to the heterochromatic orbs. There was a dark light to the illusionist's eyes but before the freshman could decipher this darkness, he was interrupted. A blur pushed Tsuna to the side. "Move."

The freshman then watched as the prefect attacked Mukuro. The delinquent managed to block the incoming attack by the skylark. "You've gotten faster, Hibari." The heterochromatic eyed student mocked

Pushed even further, Hibari finally landed a blow on the skilled illusionist. Only to realize that Mukuro's current form was only an image, since Hibari's swing went right through its form. He watched the form of Mukuro dissipate into mist. "Coward." The prefect sneered.

"Did I mention I wasn't present?" The mist echoed throughout the room, slowly vanishing. "Tsunayoshi-kun, you'll be seeing more of me."

In some way, he believed Mukuro and himself were similar. Mukuro was a person that wanted to be hated and Tsuna was a person who accepted the hatred towards him. Although, Tsuna accepted his harsh treatment in middle school, he didn't want that kind of life. He felt that Mukuro thought the same way or had a similar mentality. "Then I will prove to you that anyone can be liked." Tsuna promised.

"Kufufu. I look forward to it." The remaining mist responded before disappearing altogether.

Once Mukuro's presence had left Xanxus' room, Hibari looked over at the Herbviore. He called. "You…"

Realizing that he was now alone with an incensed Hibari, he began to become nervous. He knew the prefect was already mad at him for disobeying his order. "Y-yes?" Stuttered Tsuna.

The dark haired skylark raised one of his tonfas and held it ominously at Tsuna. He then barked. "I said to not crowd around that person."

"I'm very sorry, Hibari-san." The brunette asked for forgiveness.

Although, the other apologized to him, Hibari was still angry that the other was stupid enough to disobey him. "I'll bite you to death." The skylark threatened.

"HIIIIIII! I'm very sorry, Hibari-san. Please don't hurt me." Tsuna apologized even more. The brunette panicked as the prefect came towards him with his tonfas drawn and his grayish blue eyes filled with bloodlust. Tsuna though his inevitable beating was assured as the Hibari came close enough to strike him. However, the dark-haired boy did not strike but instead grabbed his wrist and began dragging him off. At first, Tsuna was very surprised that Hibari didn't hit but then he looked over at the unconscious Xanxus, thinking that they couldn't leave him like that. He then asked Hibari, "Shouldn't we take Xanxus to the infirmary?"

"Kusakabe will handle it." Hibari replied, not stopping.

Tsuna then wondered if Squalo and Belphegor had heard the commotion and was surprise the two of them haven't shown up. Tsuna silently allowed Hibari to pull him out of Xanxus's room and off to the unknown. As they exited the vice president's room, the freshman noticed two bodies lying of the floor not too far from Squalo's room. As Tsuna looked closer, he noticed the bodies looked really familiar and then it struck him. The bodies were Belphegor and Squalo!!! He then looked back at the prefect in front of him, coming to one conclusion. _Did he bite them all to death?! _ The freshman thought to himself. "And what about Squalo and Belphegor?" Tsuna questioned.

"They received punishment for disturbing my sleep." The prefect answered, not looking back because he knew what Tsuna was referring to.

The brunette couldn't help but glimpse at the fallen loyalists of Xanxus. His eyes widen as he noticed a red substance leaking out from the blonde haired prince's side and there was also a crimson liquid coming from the loud shark's forehead! _Blood is coming out! What did you do to these people?! This is not punishment! It's torture! _A horrified Tsuna screamed in his mind.

* * *

--

Dino walked down a dark corridor. To a normal student, who could have accidently found himself in such a place, the corridor would seem very frightening and intimidating. However, to the veteran Dino, who has traveled these hallways more than once, the corridor's creepiness no longer fazed him. This particular place in the Lecture Building was off limits to regular students. It was the secret corridor that led to the Principal's office. Most students were told that these hallways were haunted or that it was the gateway to hell itself. Dino thought of these rumors as he briskly walked through the "forsaken" passage. _Although, the Principal can act like a real devil sometimes_. The Italian pondered.

Suddenly, the waves of Karma back lashed causing Dino's left foot to slip on a crack on the floor and slam his face into a nearby wall. It happened so fast that the blonde was unable to catch himself. The bucking horse groaned as his whole body screamed with pain.

As Dino gathered himself, the blonde Italian caught the attention of another. The watcher's blue eyes watched the upperclassmen compose himself. Then the other slowly spoke. "Dino-dono?"

At hearing his name, the Italian looked up to the blue eyed boy. Dino then slowly smiled at the other as he recognized him. He made his way over to the boy. The boy also had blonde but it was a darker shade than Dino. The blue eyed boy's hair was also longer than the upperclassmen, resting an inch or two past the shoulder. The boy's also had a bit of hair covering his face. The other's blue eyes were large, making the boy seem younger than his age. The boy wore his Namimori school uniform neatly. Nothing was out of sorts but then again with this kid, that was normal.

"Yo." Dino greeted the blonde haired boy that was waiting at the two large doors. The doors were much larger than him and the doorframe nearby touched the ceiling. The wood of the doors were a dark mahogany and the frame was a grayish stone complete with a handle of rustic gold, and intricate patterns carved into the grains of the wood. From afar, it looked tribal or like ancient runes that had probably lost all meaning as of now. Dino had always wondered about those doors. The doors appeared older than the school although, the office was built during the same time as the school's development. It was just another mystery of the school that was kept quiet from the rest.

Dino stood in front of the boy that was about Tsuna's height or even a bit taller than the brunette. He then referred the smaller boy's blonde locks. "How's it going, Basil? I haven't seen you in a while."

Basil removed the other's hand from his head and looked sternly at the taller blonde. "Dino-dono. Thou art late." The smaller boy informed.

The blonde nodded, he knew he was late. "I was tied up on my end. Hopefully, he'll forgive me." Dino explained.

"The principal is in a bad mood." Basil warned with a grim look.

Dino knew from first experience, that whenever the Principal was in a bad mood, that man was avoided at all costs. The principal had a knack of being really sadistic to any of his visitors when he was in one of his fits. During his freshman year, that was one of the first lessons he unfortunately learned. The blonde would never look at bubblegum the same way again. Dino shuddered at the thought of his past torment.

"Maybe I should come back." Dino decided, feeling as if he was on the titanic and seeing the iceberg in the distance.

As Dino started to inch back from the door but the large doors of the Principal's office eerily opened. Dino and Basil's eyes peered into the darkness of the room but nothing could be made out in the obscurity. No matter how good their night vision was.

"The principal truly wishes to see thou." Basil insisted. He looked to Dino, seeing that the blonde wasn't happy to hear his previous statement.

"I guess, I can't refuse." Dino sighed heavily and accepted the invitation. Either way, he would still be a victim of the principal's wrath. If he ran away, he would have angered the principal even more. And he didn't want that. Plus, he was a man wasn't he? Dino believed that he could handle principal as long as he stayed pleasant and friendly. The blonde entered the dark room and swiftly the door shut behind him, making the Italian jump just a tad.

For a while, Dino was standing in darkness and slowly light pour in to the office, by candle light. All on their own the wicks of candles, at every corner of the room, were lit by an invisible force. Slowly the room was illuminated by the candlelit blaze but there still wasn't enough light. The blonde Italian could only make out certain things due to his familiarity with the office. To the left of him, Dino knew that that wall was covered by four bookcases. Each bookcase was filled to the brim with books. And on the right of him, the blonde knew were two more book case on each side of a large fireplace. On top of the fireplace was a portrait of a blonde haired male with blue eyes. The blonde hair was a wild mess but it didn't take away from the other's handsomeness. In the picture the blonde had a very sweet smile and his eyes were filled with something very warm. Dino could never word the feeling he would get when looking at that person's eyes. However, the blonde upperclassmen believed that the man in the portrait must have been kind. The man was wearing a black suit and a blue tie that matched his cerulean eyes. Upon his shoulder was a dark cape and on the cape hung golden medals and ornaments. The cape was held closed by golden fastenings. The portrait was framed by the same rustic gold as the door and he knew this picture was very old. The blonde knew that this person was of high importance not only to the school but to all the students and the faculty.

Dino turned away from the picture feeling himself being enthralled by it, like he always did. The upperclassmen's chocolate brown eyes were then brought to the center of the room. A few feet ahead of him was a large window, which was presently closed by dark red curtains. In front of the window, was a large desk covered with an array of many things such as mountains of papers, office materials, the parts of dismantled arms, a mug of espresso and ancient artifacts. On the side closest to him were two armchairs for guests and on the other side, closest to window, was a large leather chair facing the window. Suddenly, Dino realized a small green animal staring at him from the top of said chair. The creature large yellow eyes peered at him and Dino could have sworn it smiled at him before the lizard slithered back down.

"Ciaossu." The blonde heard a deep voice emit from the large chair at the window.

"Good evening." Dino greeted the voice (or rather, the chair.) The upperclassmen moved from his spot by the door and moved closed to the desk. He then slowly sat down in one of the guest chairs, watching the large chair in front of him to make sure he wouldn't be attacked, while he wasn't looking. "I hope you're doing well."

"I'm in a bad mood." The voice confessed darkly. "You better give me good news…"

Dino thought he heard the sound of a gun being switched off of safety and he began to panic a bit. The sadistic nature of the principal was emerging and he didn't want to feel the principal's wrath. The blonde then gather his thoughts and presented the man with the information that he found out. "It doesn't seem that Tsuna is in distress and it doesn't seem like the student president is bullying him either. He seems to be living a normal life. Well…something close to normal especially in this school."

"…." There was a silence from the chair. The blonde was not sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing. Dino then heard shuffling from behind the chair and from the side, watched a hand place a gun down on to his desk. The upperclassmen were relieved to see that the principal was not armed.

The blonde then frowned "However…I think he has gained too much attention recently."

"Are you worried someone might rape him?" The principal asked with a slightly joking tone to his voice.

"Yeah…something like that." Dino laughed. He knew that the principal was partially joking when he said it. However, he was very concerned about Tsuna. Dino feared that the attention that the freshman received could be negative. After all, people tended to go a little crazy when they idolize someone. The blonde then asked. "Was it really a good idea to make him the mascot of our school?"

"That isn't my jurisdiction. If the student council feels that it will benefit the school, then I have no say in what they do." The principal dismissed. "Plus, he would benefit more from being here, if he were more active. There is no need for us to shelter, Tsuna."

"Do you approve of the outfits?" The blonde Italian inquired, out of curiosity. He awaited the principal's answer with a slight smirk on his lips.

There was a moment of silence before the principal answered. "If it benefits the school."

Dino smile widen but he didn't comment or decided to ridicule the principal. He had known the principal long enough to understand that doing such a thing would end badly. He decided to move on for the better of his health. Dino decided to bring up another topic that had been bothering him. "Is it really okay for Tsuna to be using _that_ as a slogan?"

"I don't see anything wrong with it." The principal's voice said and then the voice became warmer as the principal continued to speak. "It would make _him_ proud. _He_ would want it to be used in this way."

Dino nodded, understanding what the principal meant and he trusted the principal enough not to question him on the subject. Still, Dino felt that Tsuna shouldn't be going around talking about that taboo word. Because of it, the founder had faced a lot of grief and although, Tsuna had transformed it into an empowering phrase, it could not erase its dark history. "But what about Byakuran? Wouldn't that be a big tip off?" Dino continued.

The principal sighed. "You don't give that person a lot of credit. Didn't it already occur to you that he already knew?"

"It had but I wasn't sure how much he knew." Dino admitted. The blonde then looked to the chair inquisitively. "How much does he know?"

"Too much." The principal said grimly.

The blonde then leaned back into his chair and ran a hand through his hair. He had not expected to here that. He began to wonder where the student president could have gotten his information from. Did they have a spy somewhere or perhaps Byakuran's family was more influential than he presumed? Then he said slowly, brown eyes staring up at the ceiling, "Compared to the old student president, Byakuran seems like a handful. I have no idea what this person is thinking. And he's very cunning too."

"That was because the last student president, Glo Xinia was very power hungry. Byakuran on the other hand, only wanted this position because it was a means of getting what he wanted." Explained the principal

Dino looked back to the large chair in front of him. "How do you figure that?"

"Byakuran told me himself." The voice professed nonchalantly.

"What?!" The blonde came on to his feet in a hot flash. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. Did the principal just admit to Byakuran telling his motives for his presidency? He must have heard wrong.

Acknowledging Dino's astonishment, the principal decided to explain. He didn't want Dino going off on his own crusade because he didn't clarify the details properly to the blonde upperclassmen, so the principal elucidated. "Although, he never told me what he wanted, Byakuran did make it apparent to me that he could only attain the thing he wanted by using the powers of the student president."

No matter how eloquently the principal phrased it, Dino still couldn't wrap his head around it. What kind of principal would allow a student to abuse his powers?! Was the principal so sadistic that, he would allow his students to have a tyrannical president again?! Dino just didn't know. "But is that really okay? Last time, you allowed Glo Xinia to abuse his power and now you're letting Byakuran do whatever he wants?!"

The principal defended himself. "If I don't test the students then they will never grow."

"You mean…you did that on purpose?!" A shocked Dino exclaimed. Dino was about to explode, when he began to hear weird noises coming from the principal's chair. The blonde Italian recognized the sounds to be snores. "Ah…principal?" He called out to the other but Dino already knew that the Principal was in a pseudo-slumber.

Dino then took his seat and relaxed, since the principal will refuse to speak any further unless he was calm. He then asked another question, knowing that if they continued on with the current subject, the blonde would be unable to stay composed. "Will you go to see Tsuna?"

Sensing that the atmosphere was more serene, the principal woke from his nap, hearing Dino's question in time. "I guess so…since that person is clueless." The principal answered.

"But that's what makes Tsuna so adorable." Dino smiled and agreed that the brunette was very naïve.

"His father would say the same thing." The principal said in a happier tone as he reminisced about a certain event in the past. He the sighed," But, no matter what that boy will take on the founder's burden."

"I know…" Dino said quietly, more to himself than the principal. "But I will do all I can to help him."

* * *

--

Tsuna came upon a revelation. There was no other fear than the one he was experiencing at that moment. The brunette had always wondered what death would look like and how he would feel about when he looked the being in the eyes. Looking like a deer in headlights, Tsuna saw his own frightened reflection in the blue eyes of Hibari Kyouya. In most of his encounters with the disciplinary prefect, there has always been a way out. Yet, Hibari had made sure that this time Tsuna would be unable to escape. The enforcer had picked the seventh floor lounge to entrap the freshman. Here, Hibari was sure no one would interfere nor could the brunette escape without going through him first. And Tsuna knew that he was utterly doomed.

"Hibari-san, I'm very sorry." Tsuna apologized. Hoping that if he apologized, then maybe Hibari would go easier on him and maybe if he showed that he was contrite, then perhaps the prefect wouldn't place him in the infirmary tonight.

Hibari's eyes burned into the Tsuna's, effectively silencing him. Hibari wanted to make sure that Tsuna understood him. He didn't want to explain. The dark haired prefect moved from his spot and stepped towards Tsuna. Hibari grabbed for the freshman's tie and his hand slightly running up it before his fingers wrapped around the fabric. With a sudden tug, Tsuna was brought to him. Another strong yank, the small brunette's lips had succumbed to his own. Any signs of protest were smothered by the prefect's ever demanding mouth. The skylark's kiss was just as breathtaking as the first. Tsuna was not impressed by the technique that Hibari used but the thrill of being overcome. The brunette was overwhelmed by how rough the prefect kissed, although the other's lips were soft. Tsuna could feel the need, the want and the unsatisfication from the manner the prefect's unhesitant kiss attacked his lips. And so, Tsuna willingly let go of his restraint and allowed the predator to have his way with him.

The prefect slowly reached up to Tsuna's collar. With a slight tug, he managed to loosen the knot of his tie with little effort. Hibari then continued to trail down bruising kisses from the prey's mouth down to the other's neck. Tsuna froze as he felt the skylark's burning lips against his neck. The brunette moaned lowly as Hibari kissed a certain spot that made his body react. The sound of Tsuna's mewls excited Hibari and the skylark turned his kisses into nibbling. The smaller boy moaned even more at the nips at his neck. For some reason, such small ounces of pain were pleasurable for the tawny eyed innocent. Tsuna had always been afraid of everything. He was even apprehensive of the trips to the doctors. However, the effect that Hibari had on him was so new to the freshman. Tsuna was so enthralled by this new sensation that he nearly forgotten why Hibari was revered as a dangerous individual. Tsuna's eyes widen as a sharp pain pierced into his being. The brunette felt the predator sunk his teeth into his neck.

"Hibari-san…" The freshman murmured. The smaller boy subconsciously grabbed onto the perfect's shirt, his hands clenching around the fabric as he felt the other's teeth sink in. A prickling twinge ran up and down his body. Tsuna groaned as he felt the tearing of his skin and the burning rush of heat brewing around his wound. It was a few painful moments before Hibari withdrew his teeth from his neck. The prefect withdrew his teeth and then sensually licked the open wound with one languid stroke. The hot and wet organ made the small freshman shiver. His skin was still burning from where Hibari bit him.

Tsuna clasped a hand to the bite he was given, making the fresh wound flare at being touched. The protagonist then looked back at Hibari as the prefect licked at the stray blood on his own lips. The brunette's eyes widen realizing whose blood the skylark just swallowed. His?! Ignoring that horrifying fact, Tsuna wanted to know what possessed Hibari to bite him so suddenly. "W-why did you bite me?!" Tsuna squeaked.

"I've marked you." The predator corrected.

_I'm not a tree! _Tsuna exclaimed only in the dimensions of his mind. Even if Hibari gave the bite to mark him, Tsuna still couldn't understand why the prefect would do such a thing. "But why?" Tsuna pressed.

Hibari just stared into Tsuna's questioning face. Watching the other squirm under his gaze and then when he finished having his fun, he answered the herbivore's question. "Because you're my prey." He responded.

_You're not making any sense._ Tsuna thought. Hibari continued to be a puzzle to him. "Huh? Prey? Are you planning to eat me?!"

"No…you're too scrawny." Hibari smirked.

"Oh good…" said a relieved Tsuna. The freshman then paused in his reassurance realizing that something very odd occurred in their conversation. He then hysterically mused, _Wait, was that an insult? And Hibari didn't deny trying to eat me either?! _

Tsuna turned to Hibari and watched as the prefect yawned into his hand. The brunette then remembered that the other was awoken by the commotion. "Hibari-san…are you tired?"

Hibari slowly looked to Tsuna and then without warning grabbed on to the smaller boy's wrist. The predator then brings the brunette towards the couch and pushed him on to it. Tsuna fell into the couch with a slight thump. He hadn't expected Hibari to push him into it. "Ow…" The protagonist groaned as he tried to ignore the throbbing pain he received from his abrupt descent. The freshman's eyes shifted to the discipliner as the other sat on the couch as well. Hibari then swung his legs around, resting them upon the couch and followed by, resting his head on the brunette's lap. Tsuna began to panicking seeing Hibari resting on him. "Hibari-san…what are you doing?"

"Your punishment is to be my pillow. If you wake me up, I'll bite you with these instead of my teeth." Hibari showed the unfortunate freshman what he meant by 'these', revealing his tonfas which were concealed in his dark jacket.

"W-what if I have to use the bathroom?" Tsuna complained.

"Hold it." Hibari ordered with a glare at Tsuna. "Do you have a problem?"

"N-not at all," stuttered Tsuna. The cold glare from Hibari diminished anymore complaints from the small boy. Tsuna silenced himself, feeling that he shouldn't piss off the prefect especially when he was exhausted.

"Good." The prefect shut his eyes and headed off to sleep. It wasn't long before Hibari's body relaxed becoming limp. The only source of life from the dark haired boy was the light rise and deflation of his chest. Tsuna was stuck cradling the prefect' head, which wasn't light and over time became a burden. After a while he started to get a cramp in his leg but refused to move. He didn't want to disturb Hibari and also he didn't want to anger the other. He heard how bad the discipliner's temper was when woken up. Squalo and Belphegor was a clear indication that Hibari valued his rest highly and anyone who wished to destroy that would meet a bloody end. So he opted to ignore the pain in his leg and try to get some sleep. There was nothing better to do but stare at the walls and objects in the room. Out of fear, Tsuna refused to gaze at the enforcer in his sleep, fearing that the skylark would wake up to catch him staring at him. He had enough excitement for one day. Soon, Hibari's sleepiness became contagious and Tsuna was also lured to sleep.

A leaf fell but the prefect didn't budge. Someone was running in the halls but the dark haired predator ignored it. The whistling of wind was noisy but it could not lure the skylark out of his haven. The school was never quiet and there was always some raucous disturbance to wake him. Finally, he was able to find a comfortable place; a place where he could finally allow his muscles to relax. The prefect had finally reached a state, in which he could ignore everything and drop his guard, not fearing that someone would come to attack him in his slumber. Hibari had always been alert, he needed to be. Not only to uphold the discipline in this school but because of his own self-preservation.

* * *

--

Xanxus had enough. Once again, God told him to go fuck himself and stuck him with the rubbish that was Squalo and Belphegor. The vice president was also pissed that he allowed that damn pineapple to humiliate him. The Italian really didn't want to be restricted in this place. He wanted to go hunt down Mukuro and show him what he's really made of. The next time he saw the motherfucker, he was going to have slow and painful death courtesy of the goddess of payback and presented by his own fist. However, for the time being Xanxus had to settle with hearing Squalo's whining and Belphegor being a royal pain in the ass.

"VOOOOIII! THAT HURTS!" Exclaimed the long haired upperclassmen. Squalo was currently cringing at the sight of a moistened cotton ball of antiseptic. Although, the student representative had faced worse pain in the hands of the vice president, he still looked to the cotton ball with great contempt.

"Quit being a baby." A male medical assistant said as he continued to clean the other's wound with the antiseptic.

However, on the next bed was the prince having a much different problem. The medical nurse couldn't even get near the prince's injuries. The blonde was too busy looking at his own blood with admiration. The color, the way it oozed and even the thick liquid form it took impressed the Prince greatly. "Shishishi. It's been a while since I've seen my blood." Belphegor grinned from ear to ear.

"We should probably treat those wounds of yours." The nurse insisted.

Belphegor looked to the medical assistant as if they just appeared. He then showed them his bloody wounds and asked, "Isn't the blood of a royal pretty?"

"Um…I guess so but you can get your wounds infected, if you continue to carry on this way." The nurse shrugged, not knowing how to answer such an odd question.

"Can you kill them for me?" Xanxus asked his own attendant. Perhaps, if the shark and the prince were dead, he could finally be rid of them. He was kind of upset that the prefect didn't finish off the both of them.

"That's not a part of my qualifications and it's against the law." Answered the nurse.

Xanxus then made a sound akin to a groan and a growl. The nurse quickly left not wanting to be near the upset vice president. Suddenly, the door burst open revealing two more Namimori students. The one with dark, spiky hair and tan skinned was named Levi A. Than. Levi had a strange piece of jewelry attached to his lip as well as to his ear. Xanxus never figured out what the Levi's obsession with him but then again there were some things about his associates that he just didn't want to know. Speaking of things he didn't know, Xanxus looked to the boy standing behind Levi. The other with bright neon green hair was named Lussuria. The Namimori student's hair was styled into a bang and the rest of his head shaved. The flamboyant man also wore bright red sunglasses. The flashy student wore his Namimori uniform with an added touch of a feather boa.

"Xanxus-sama…what happened?" Levi asked, going to his beloved vice president's side.

"Sorry, Xanxus-sama…I was watching Oprah." Lussuria apologized.

"Get out! It's already noisy in here!" Xanxus dismissed both of them. If Levi and Lussuria got too comfortable then there would be no peace for him.

"Boss, forgive me…" Levi pleaded, thinking that his vice president was mad at him because he hadn't come sooner.

"Oh Xanxus-sama, don't be like that." The flamboyant student said in a sing song voice. He then looked over to Squalo and Belphegor. Lussuria was very surprised to see the both of them in the infirmary as well. "How did you end up here?"

"IT WAS THAT DAMN DISCPLINARY COMMITTEE LEADER! HE JUST STORMED IN AND STARTED FIGHTING US!" roared Squalo.

Belphegor then added. "The birdie was upset because we disturbed his nap."

Lussuria then turned to Xanxus, wondering if he also had a run in with the disciplinary committee leader. "How did you end up in here, Xanxus-sama?"

While Xanxus was contemplating whether or not, he should reveal to everyone that Mukuro kicked his ass, Squalo chimed in with his own predications. The shark smirked at Xanxus. "HE PROBABLY GOT REJECTED BY THAT BRAT!"

The infirmary was totally silent except for a snickering Belphegor. Xanxus glared at Squalo, wishing glares could kill. Levi was in total disbelief that his vice president was rejected. Lussuria was secretly happy that finally the vice president came out the closet. And Squalo simply loved it, even if he was asking for an ass kicking. It was Levi who eventually broke the silence, "Xanxus-sama. Who is this person? I'll make them submit to you."

"Oh, who is the jezebel who stole the Xanxus-sama's heart from me?" Lussuria interrogated Belphegor.

"The school mascot. Sawada Tsunayoshi." Belphegor told the neon green haired upperclassmen.

"So, Xanxus-sama goes for cuties like him, huh?" Lussuria was surprised to hear that the vice president would go for someone like that. Tsuna was too innocent and pure compared to their spoiled and ruthless Xanxus. He believed that Xanxus would truly chew the poor thing up and spit him out. However, Lussuria hoped he was wrong. Perhaps Tsuna would be good for Xanxus, if it worked out.

"How about you guys shut the fuck up already!" Xanxus cursed. The rubbish was speaking nonsense once more and they were making his already throbbing headache worse. He was really tempted to use _that_, in order to silence all of them but he knew the principal would have his hide.

Levi saw that the vice president was getting annoyed and proposed. "Xanxus-sama, I could dispose of all of them for you."

Squalo reacted to Levi's threat. Getting annoyed by how dutiful the other was towards Xanxus. Not that Squalo didn't think Xanxus was worthy of such attention but the swordsman hated any kind of adulation for superiors. "VOOOIII!!! WHO THE FUCK ARE YOU DISPOSING OF?! TRASH!" The shark growled at Levi.

Levi looked at the object of his vice president's annoyance. The loud swordsman was also getting on his nerves and he didn't mind killing him, especially if it gave Xanxus some of peace of mind. "You're annoying the vice president and….me. I'll destroy anything that bothers Xanxus-sama."

"I HATE PEOPLE THAT SUCK UP TO THEIR SUPERIORS. FUCKING OBEDIENT DOG!" The long haired student sneered.

Belphegor laughed. "Shishishi. Levi does act like a puppy."

"Levi would make a lovely puppy…" Lussuria agreed as he imagined the obedient student with ears and a tail.

"Shut up! I'd rather be a dog than a nuisance to Xanxus-sama! Like all of you are!" Levi shouted getting irritated by everyone calling him a puppy.

_Same shit! Every! Fucking! Day!_ Xanxus huffed trying to tune out those annoying voices. But it was hard, since the rowdy bunch was very loud. However, Xanxus was so used to these bouts that he would just channel his mind to a quieter plane of existence. The Italian couldn't help but think about Mukuro and how much he wanted to punch a hole through the illusionist's mocking face. Xanxus was also mad for allowing himself to be duped by the delinquent. However, he had never expected Mukuro to use that memory against him. As far as he knew, not many people knew about that event in his life. Xanxus wondered how Mukuro had found out. As the scarred Italian continued to ponder, he began to think of Tsuna and he wondered if the naïve brat was okay. Although, Tsuna had done wonders for him, the illusionist was a different story all together. Xanxus just hoped that the freshman wasn't in the other's grasp at the moment. Was he worried about Tsuna? Maybe just a tiny bit.

The president then turned back to the boisterous group of trash. No longer were they using words to fight but now turned to fists. As usual, Lussuria and Belphegor would watch on the sidelines as Squalo and Levi fought over obedience and defiance. Compared to the sight before him, he had to admit that being with Tsuna was much more relaxing._ It was so much quieter with him around._

_

* * *

--  
_

Omake- Tsuna is bitten!!! Rated M- because of sexual mentioning

Byakuran: What's wrong Tsu-chan?

Tsuna: Hibari bit me!

Byakuran: He did what?! Kyou-chan, what is the meaning of this?!

Hibari: I'm tired of that damn pineapple crowding around Tsunayoshi. He's mine.

Byakuran: **smiles** Awww…isn't Kyou-chan cute when he's possessive?

Tsuna: **frowns** No…actually…he's really scary.

Mukuro: **appears out of thin air** Kufufu. Then I will place an even bigger bite on Tsunayoshi.

Tsuna: No…I think one is enough.

Hibari: Not as large as mine…

Mukuro: Oh? Then you will be envious by the enormous bite I place on him.

Tsuna: **sighs** why does it have to be like this?

Byakuran: So childish. Fighting over who's gonna give Tsuna the bigger bite? **Turns to Xanxus** So, I still believe I will be the one to take Tsu-chan's virginity!

Tsuna: **shock **What?!

Xanxus: Over my dead body, fucking trash! I'll be the one!

Mukuro: Did you not read chapter ten? Tsunayoshi so wanted it and I was so willing to give.

Hibari: **threatens** I'll bite you all to death if you touch my prey.

Tsuna: **hides** Gokudera, Yamamoto, Ryohei, Dino….save me.

**Meanwhile…**

Yamamoto: Haha…that's funny.

Gokudera: What's so damn funny, baseball freak?! It's true! Of course, the Tenth would choose his best friend to take away his innocence.

Yamamoto: **laughs** I'm sorry but…Tsuna needs a real man.

Gokudera: What was that?! **Takes out sticks of dynamite**

Ryohei: Yeah! Tako-head doesn't have what it takes! Sawada needs some who can be extreme!

Dino: **grins** I'm going to be the one to pop his cherry. They don't call me "The Bucking Horse" for nothing. You guys probably don't even know how to get it up.

Yamamoto: **smiles** I'm not losing to you.

Gokudera: Fuck you! I wouldn't allow the Tenth to give it up to a fucker like you. Bucking Horse? More like Bumbling Horse to me.

Ryohei: **roars** Cockblock to the extreme!

Omake End – Boy! Why can't I get some of this attention?!

* * *

--

Author's Note:

There is only one Author's note due to my laziness. Anywho, I hoped you enjoyed this chapter. However, I must apologize because Tsuna did not mascot in this chapter as I had previously promised or hinted to in the last chapter. The reason for this is because lack of room and my own indecisiveness (there are so many things Tsuna will look good in!!!) So I apologize for that. I am also sorry for having everyone wait another month for a new release. Finals is coming up and my updating will be slowed down. Anyway, Chapter eleven and twelve will be called Yamamoto the Sly and Gokudera the Devoted. Eventually, everyone will have their own chapter. I'm still thinking about the other Arcobalenos and Lambo's involvement. And the girls should be appearing very soon. Well, Thank you Mithras151 for checking this chapter and also thank you to those who have reviewed, read or even story alerted this fanfic. It makes me so happy that my story is so well received. Please keep reading my fanfic and I hope that I will not disappoint you. Please review my work, for it is my crack. Also suggestions are welcome along as good intentions are behind them. Bye for now!


	11. Yamamoto the Cool

Hungry for Tsuna

A Katekyo Hitman Reborn Fanfiction

Disclaimer: Katekyo Hitman Reborn belongs to Akira Amano; I'm just creatively using her characters.

Author's Note: Sorry...it's been a long absence but I finally finished it. I wasn't happy with the first…five drafts of the story and I stuck with this one. I also changed the titled because the story that I was going to use for Yamamoto the Sly was thrown out the window. Hopefully, you like this chapter. Thank you, Mithras151 for checking this chapter. Presenting Chapter Eleven of Hungry for Tsuna, Yamamoto the Cool.

Chapter Eleven: Yamamoto the Cool

The brunette protagonist sighed as he made his way to the student council office. Today, Tsuna had to mascot for the basketball team. Although, he should be excited for such an event, his mind was clouded with so many demanding thoughts that asked for his immediate attention. Even though the reason for these demanding thoughts occurred a week and half ago, he couldn't forget about them. After, Tsuna was forced to become Hibari's pillow for the night, the disciplinarian made him into a chew toy as further punishment for disobeying him. But Tsuna didn't see it as a punishment instead; it only confirmed how scary Hibari really was. The bite marks that the prefect gave still ached even through the healing process. Tsuna remembered how much of a pain it was lying to Gokudera about it.

After dealing with Hibari, Tsuna went straight to the infirmary to check on Xanxus. However, the vice president had been discharged earlier that day. Although, Squalo had to stay much longer due to the torturous blows dealt by the vice president. The loud swordsman had defended himself by saying that Xanxus was in denial. Not knowing what Squalo meant by this, Tsuna left hoping that the vice president didn't hate his guts. But no matter the result, he was glad that Xanxus was okay.

And lastly, Tsuna continued to be distressed by the same heterochromatic illusionist. After their second meeting, Tsuna did not have the pleasure of meeting him again. Like Xanxus, Mukuro's presence was no where to be found and Tsuna was beginning to believe that the illusionist didn't attend classes at Namimori at all. Although, Tsuna wasn't able to see Mukuro in the flesh, his existence was still there in his nightmares. He was sure if the real Mukuro were to ever find out what he was dreaming of; the illusionist would never allow him live it down.

At this point, Tsuna was just so happy that things had calmed down since then. Yet, Tsuna already knew that the peace was not going to last long, since trouble was never too far behind in his case. The brunette sighed as he was stood in front of the student council door. He kind of dreaded going inside, because Tsuna knew that as soon as he walked through the door he would be ambushed by a certain student president. But, he also hoped that Xanxus was present, so that he could see with his own eyes that the Italian was well. The brunette stopped hesitating and opened the door."Pardon the intrusion."

Tsuna's tawny eyes surveyed the student council office to find it almost empty except for a lone figure. He watched as the person shuffled through a pile of papers before he looked up to Tsuna. "Right on time, Sawada-san." Shouichi greeted.

"Hi, Irie-san." Tsuna greeted back. Yet, the brunette was still searching for the white haired student president. Byakuran was nowhere in sight. And no one else was here either except for Shouichi. "Where's Byakuran-san?"

"He had something to take care of, but believe me, he really wanted to be here." Shouichi told Tsuna as he remembered the conversation he had with the president over the phone. Byakuran was really disappointed that he had to be called away at such a time but unlike his duties of student president, he couldn't ignore his duties at his father's company.

"_Shou-chan! Be sure to take lots and lots of pictures!" Byakuran requested happily. _

_Shouichi was already annoyed by Byakuran leaving him with a ton of work and he wasn't pleased at all, "But I don't want to!" The red haired secretary growled._

"_Pretty please with marshmallows on top," begged the student president._

_Shouichi put his foot down and answered. "No!"_

"_Awww." The student president whined but Byakuran knew that his secretary could not be convinced. He decided to give up his efforts in the form of a more reasonable request. "Well, send my best to Tsu-chan. You can do that right?"_

"_Of course. I'll relay the message to him." The red haired secretary pledged._

_There was silence on both ends. Shouichi knew that Byakuran wouldn't end it like this. And as expected, Byakuran was back to begging Shouichi. "Are you sure you don't want to take one picture of Tsu-chan? Just one."_

"_Positive…" Shouichi answered sternly._

"_Not even if I give you a raise…"Byakuran bribed._

_Shouichi sighed, pushing his slipping glasses further up the rim of his nose. Even though his president was on the phone, he could already feel himself getting tired. Part of him, just wanted to give in to shut the president up and the other half of him felt the need to stop this unhealthy obsession. Of course, Shouichi went with the latter. "I don't get paid to do this, Byakuran-sama."_

"_What if I brought you a brand new pair of headphones?" The president continued to try to entice Shouichi. Byakuran knew that his secretary liked to listen to his music. Although, Shouichi gave off this strict façade, Byakuran knew him for the short-tempered and messy music lover. _

_To Shouichi it was already evident that his president had stooped to another low. "Good-bye, Byakuran-sama."_

"_C'mon, Shou-chan." Byakuran whimpered like a puppy._

_Click. Shouichi hung up on the other and made sure to disconnect the line. "This is for your own good, Byakuran-sama."_

Shouichi drifted out of those horrific memories. He turned to Tsuna giving the other their president's well wishes. "But he does wish you luck, Sawada-san."

"I see. Hopefully, I won't disappoint him." Tsuna smiled. He was kind of relieved but also saddened. The president had a way making things livelier. He liked Shouichi but compared to Byakuran, he was dull and serious. Tsuna felt that Shouichi perceived his mascoting as purely business but Byakuran perceive his activity as fun and uplifting.

"I'm sure you won't." The red haired secretary promised. He then directed Tsuna to his costume, which were laid out on a nearby table. "Spanner's outfit is over there. Please place it on."

Tsuna spotted the outfit with the help of Shouichi's guidance. The small boy walked over to neat pile of item and picked them up. Tsuna looked skeptically at the clothing but decided that he should trust Spanner to adhere to his request. "Okay."

Tsuna then moves to the walking closest that was conveniently placed in the student council office. As he walked in he noticed that the closet was a lot emptier than before. And the brunette assumed that Spanner was making alterations to the costumes for his sake. _Spanner is really working hard for me._ Tsuna thought to himself as he changed into the costume for today. He would have to thank Spanner afterwards, since the blonde mechanic had done all of this on his behalf.

The outfit consisted of a collared wine color shirt with short sleeves, a gray tailed vest with golden outlines of butterflies placed all over the dark material. The vest had no sleeves and the tails of the vest stretched to the back of Tsuna's calves. The collar of the vest was a black silk. Tsuna wore matching puffed shorts that also had golden outlines of butterflies. On Tsuna's hands were black silk wrist gloves. Covering his legs were long black socks made out of silk which stopped over his knees. One the left sock was a butterfly sitting on the edge of it. On his feet were wine and black oxfords. A big top hat decorated with a wine colored ribbon and a large butterfly ornament on the side. The top hat tamed Tsuna's unruly hair, covering most of it and causing his hair to frame his face beautifully. And lastly, a large butterfly pin that took the place of a bow and rested at the front of Tsuna's collar.

Tsuna stepped out of the closet feeling unsure of himself. The outfit looked good and it was nicely done, but he felt he didn't belong in such nice clothing. He watched as Shouichi turned in his direction. Tsuna was surprised when Shouichi smiled at him instead of turning his nose up in disgust. "Very charming." Shouichi commented.

"You think so…I'm just so happy that, Spanner-san listened to me." Tsuna was happy for the compliment but even happier that Spanner had altered the costume in a way he preferred them.

"Spanner-san?" Red-haired student council member questioned.

"I asked him to change the outfits to make me more comfortable." Explained Tsuna.

"I see." The red head nodded his head to show his understanding. From the last outfit, he could tell that Tsuna was a bit uncomfortable and being placed into the same shoes, Shouichi felt that we would also feel uneasy being half-naked in front a hundreds of students. Yet, he knew of people who would not be as understanding because of their own selfishness. _Although, Byakuran-sama will not be happy_. The secretary thought to himself.

Shouichi's green eyes shifted to Tsuna. The young freshman seemed to be looking at himself in a nearby mirror which was placed in the room for such a purpose. At this moment, Shouichi felt that this was a good time as any and he swiftly took a small item out of his pocket. The brunette jumped when a blind flash caught his attention. His eyes adjusted to the colorful kaleidoscope that blurred his vision. "What was that flash just now?" A bewildered Tsuna questioned as he rubbed at his eyes.

The red haired secretary looked up from some paper work and looked to Tsuna. "What flash, Sawada-san?" He asked, innocently.

Tsuna dismissed the flash as part of his imagination. He shook his head at Shouichi.

"Oh nothing…I'll be going now."

"Good luck." Shouichi watched the freshman leave and after a few moments, he carefully pulled a digital camera out of his pocket. He looked at the small digital device with shame, knowing that what he had just done was very terrible. "Why am I so whipped?"

Shouichi then turned the camera on, just to check if he got a good picture. He smiled as he had managed to capture a pretty good picture of Tsuna. Tsuna looked adorable as he gazed at himself in the mirror. Shouichi knew that his president would be pleased with this one photo. The red haired upperclassmen then caught himself smiling at Tsuna's picture and turned off the camera. He needed to get back to work. He couldn't get caught up in this kind of thing.

* * *

"Takeshi-kun, are you ready for the game?" A blonde haired boy clad in a Namimori basketball team uniform asked a much taller dark haired boy.

"I guess. I haven't played basketball in a while. I hope I'm not rusty." Yamamoto humbly replied.

The boys' locker room was full of excitement for the upcoming game. Their victory was as good as assured with the addition of Yamamoto to their team. Not only was Yamamoto skilled in baseball, he also showed a great proclivity for other sports as well. The baseball fanatic had agreed to help the basketball team, since one of their members was food poisoned, and without that member they would be short one player. Although, the boys were so excited for the game and their inevitable win, Yamamoto was just merely testing the waters. Not that he did not enjoy basketball; on the contrary, he enjoyed any competitive sport. But lately any sport wasn't enough for him. Even his beloved baseball. Yamamoto didn't know the reason for this change. He had never thought anything would come between him and his baseball. So the playful athlete decided that he needed to test himself to figure out where his priorities were. That was the true reason that he was participating.

"Since, Yamamoto is here…we'll definitely win!" Another member of the basketball team exclaimed.

Another boy patted Yamamoto roughly on the back. "Thank you for helping us, man."

"I wish Hiro had a stomach ache every game!" The captain of the basketball team hoped.

Yamamoto only smiled at their praise, but he didn't deserve it. He was using them for his own selfish reasons. "Let's play a good game." He said as he walked out of the locker room first. Yamamoto was already rearing to go as he entered the gym area. The bleachers were almost filled to capacity with spectators, and the referees were preparing for today's game. The opposing team had not appeared as of yet but Yamamoto was not worried. No matter who it was, he would beat them. He was about to take his place with the rest of his teammates before he spotted something out of the corner of his eye. Yamamoto turned in the direction of a gray blur and his dark eyes focused on a small boy dressed in a distinguishable outfit.

"Tsuna!" Yamamoto yelled as he raced over to the brunette.

"Yamamoto-san?" The brunette said, surprised seeing the dark haired boy here. "But I thought you were on the baseball team?"

"I am but one of the players on this team got sick with food-poisoning. So I'm taking his place." The baseball fanatic clarified.

The mascot replied, "Oh, I see. That's very nice of you to substitute for him."

"I guess." The baseball fanatic humbly replied. "So what are you today, Tsuna?"

Tsuna looked down at himself and then back to Yamamoto. He wasn't sure what he was. So Tsuna gave his friend the best answer he could offer. "A magician, I think but Spanner-san still did a good job."

"Spanner? That's a unique name." Yamamoto chuckled.

Tsuna had forgotten that Yamamoto, Gokudera and Sasagawa-san didn't know much of the student council and that he has never mentioned Spanner before to them. Tsuna explained, "Spanner-san is the one that makes my outfits."

"Cool." Yamamoto was very impressed. Not only by Spanner's workmanship but by how the mechanic was able to create each outfit to make Tsuna look especially cute. And Yamamoto didn't think his friend could ever be cuter. Even though the outfit was dark, the clothes were still illuminated by Tsuna's warmth. "I think he's very skilled but you do a good job of pulling it off."

Tsuna gave Yamamoto a look of disagreement. The mascot was positive that if anyone else wore these outfits, they would good as well. He couldn't take the credit for his attractive appearance or how the clothes suited him; rather Tsuna believed that it was Spanner who made this all possible. It was Spanner who made the clothes and it was through his magic that made Tsuna alluring. "I'm sure it would look good on anyone." Tsuna replied modestly.

"No…I don't think it would be the same." Yamamoto disagreed. Opposite of Tsuna's modesty, the baseball fanatic felt that it was Tsuna's own spirit that made the outfits come to life. He didn't know what it was but he could only see Tsuna wearing them. He really wanted to see his friend in them. And he actually enjoyed the experience more then he should have but Yamamoto didn't feel guilty at all. "I can only see you wearing them."

Tsuna couldn't help but blush at this. Although, Yamamoto's comment was a terrible blow to what little masculinity he had, it still affected him a way he could never have imagined. Although he had not asked or hinted to it, he wanted the other to say those words to him. It made him feel good that he wasn't a total failure as a mascot but it was even more than that. It had made Tsuna so immensely happy.

Yamamoto was beginning to wonder if he had said something wrong until Tsuna gave him a look that relieved his worries. After that, Yamamoto couldn't help himself. The game was about to start but it was the farthest thing from his mind. It was happening again, the game…something that had meant so much to him was placed on the back burner. Now all he could think of was Tsuna. Unconsciously, Yamamoto's hand reached out for Tsuna. His eyes dark eyes locked with the mascot's unwavering tawny eyes. The baseball fanatic's hand then cupped Tsuna's soft cheek. Even though it was the simplest of touches, the simple act made Yamamoto yearn for more.

Suddenly, the whistle was blown to signify that the game was about to start. Yamamoto was pulled out of his trance and his hand dropped from Tsuna's cheek back to his side. Tsuna also woke up from his daze and remembered that the task he had to perform. Tsuna looked up at the taller boy, not realizing that he just slipped away from an intimate moment. The mascot just acted as if nothing had transpired between them, since Tsuna was a lot denser than Yamamoto in these kinds of things. But Yamamoto was not discouraged.

"Good luck, Yamamoto-san. I'll be cheering you on, but I know you will do well." Tsuna smiled at the other. He then turned on his heels and headed towards the bleachers.

"Bye…" He responded as he watched Tsuna walk to his post. Although Yamamoto smiled on his way to the court, the truth was that he was frustrated. Tsuna had been so close and he had frozen up. And he was also confused about his feelings for Tsuna. No one had ever affected him in such a way. No one could ever distract him from sports…except Tsuna. Yamamoto wasn't new to dating and relationships. He had been in a few, but they had all ended in the same sadly tragic way. All the girls he had been with had had the same complaint: He was too caught up in his obsession with sports. Yamamoto was ready to accept that he could never break away from his beloved game, but now everything was different.

Yamamoto met his other teammates on their sides of the court, getting into position. One of his teammates gave an encouraging pat on the back before, it smarted just a tad but Yamamoto was already used to this type of sportsmanship. He looked into the eyes of his opponents and they didn't seem at all intimidating. His eyes shifted to the roaring crowd but he disregarded it with disinterest. Yet, the one thing that managed to hold his interest was the darling brunette timidly parading around to get the crowd riled up. Yamamoto couldn't help smiling at the smaller boy's effort.

_Tsuna…_

_

* * *

  
_

Although, Namimori had won the match and Yamamoto had performed beautifully as always, Tsuna still noticed that his baseball obsessed friend had seemed distracted during the game. At first, the brunette figured that Yamamoto wasn't in his element. Baseball was Yamamoto's favored sport, and Tsuna could understand if Yamamoto felt like a fish out of water. But after further consideration, Tsuna dismissed that assumption. Before this particular game, Yamamoto has practiced with other teams and his athletic skills were not lacking. The brunette knew that his friend was very talented in sports and that his previous assumption could not be the reason for Yamamoto's inattentiveness. Something was wrong with Yamamoto and the mascot didn't know what could be bothering the baseball fanatic. When Tsuna had asked Gokudera if he thought anything was wrong with Yamamoto, the silver haired terrorist was convinced that there was nothing right about Yamamoto in the first place. As usual, when it came to things about Yamamoto, Gokudera was not helpful.

These were the thoughts that circled around Tsuna's head that night. He was worried about Yamamoto, and although the taller boy managed to convince Gokudera that he was his same old self, Tsuna was not so blind. Yamamoto was always cheerful and optimistic but during that game, Tsuna had witnessed something different. Yamamoto seemed as if he was in another place. From time to time he would slip into a stupor and would quickly wake out of it, getting back in the game. Tsuna would normally overlook something like this but the strange occurrence happened throughout the game and even afterwards, when the trio had separated.

Tsuna was so worried about Yamamoto that he had a hard time concentrating on taking off the outfit that he had worn tonight. Tsuna quickly left the student council and began heading back to the Sky Dorm. Sometimes, if he didn't come back fast enough, Gokudera would go out looking for him and he didn't want to be such a burden to his friends. As Tsuna left the lecture building, the brunette saw bright lights from behind the gym and the music hall. Behind those particular buildings was the baseball field and as far as he could remember there was no game today. Then suddenly, Tsuna remembered those forlorn looks that the other had during the game. Was it possibly that his friend was there? At first, Tsuna was not going to go…perhaps Yamamoto wanted to be alone. After all, he had not mentioned to Gokudera or Tsuna that he was going to the baseball field. Yet, what forced Tsuna to make up his mind was that he felt Yamamoto needed him. He was the only one who noticed Yamamoto's distracted looks and so, he couldn't ignore this.

* * *

Meanwhile, Gokudera was awaiting the Tenth's safe arrival back to the Sky Dorms. Like a hawk, he watched the entrance hoping to see his beloved brunette stroll in. Tsuna had insisted that he go ahead, and because the Tenth asked him to do so, Gokudera hadn't protested. However, like a loyal puppy waiting for his master, Gokudera stayed stationed close by. As Gokudera waited with a disgruntled demeanor, Ryohei happened to walk through the door. The boxer had done some extreme training since his own club would have a match soon. The extremist caught sight of the silver haired bomber.

"What's up, Octopus-Head?!" Ryohei greeted Gokudera.

Gokudera was not excited to see the boxer. Ryohei's whole existence was a bane to his own, just like Yamamoto's was. He always hated those jock types, not only did they not have brains, but they were plain annoying to be around. The bomber was already in a bad mood seeing Ryohei's face, and his aversion for the boxer only greatened after his given nickname was spoken. "I'm waiting for the Tenth. And didn't I tell you to stop calling me that, fucking Turf-Head!!!" The silver haired terrorist sneered.

Something clicked in Ryohei's head when Gokudera mentioned that he was waiting for Tsuna. The boxer became serious, thinking that something may have happened to the school's beloved mascot. So he asked, "Sawada-san? Why are you are you waiting for him?"

"Don't you know there are perverts lurking around? I have to protect the Tenth from them." The boxer explained. Gokudera wanted to make sure that the tenth got to his room safely but more importantly he also wanted to spend as much time with the brunette as he could. Waiting for Tsuna wasn't such a big deal if his reward was being able to walk Tsuna back to his room or even have the Tenth beam his heart warming smile in his direction. The self-proclaimed protector of the Tenth was content with the small interactions that he had with his friend. That was enough for him.

Then Ryohei stupidly chimed in, "Pervert? Is that some kind of insect or animal?"

_I think this person has been hit in the head too many times!_ Gokudera was mystified by what the idiot just said. He wondered just how these people made it so far up the academic ladder?! Once again, Gokudera's perception of jocks was proven once more: They were dumb as fuck! "No! A pervert is not an animal or an insect!" He screamed.

"Well, whatever you're talking about…I'll also wait for Sawada-san, to the Extreme." Ryohei roared with excitement and took his position opposite of Gokudera.

Gokudera was getting more and more irritated the longer the boxer stayed in his presence. Why did he have to be near him?! Couldn't he be extreme somewhere else?! This was his precious time with the Tenth, and he didn't want the boxer to ruin it with his infuriating personality. "How about you shut the fuck up to the extreme!" The silver haired bomber barked at the boxer.

"Well, that's not really extreme…"The energetic boxer said thoughtfully.

_So there's actually a difference…_Gokudera thought to himself. He was getting fed up with this idiot. The bomber calmed himself down, thinking that Ryohei would respond better if he was more composed. Since the insults weren't getting to the athlete, he decided that he would level with him. Maybe if he was nice, the annoyance would finally disappear. Gokudera tried to say it as nice as possible."Just go away. I don't need you to wait for the Tenth with me. This is a job that only his protector can do."

"But you're not doing it right! You have to be extreme!" Ryohei argued back.

Taking out a stick of dynamite from some hidden place, Gokudera threateningly waved it at the boxer. "Screw your extreme! I go by logic not stupidity!"

"I don't know what you're saying, Octopus-Head but nothing beats extreme! It's impossible!" Ryohei placed up his fists as if he was preparing to go into a fight. Ryohei wasn't afraid of Gokudera's dynamite since he was positive that his extreme fists could make dinosaurs explode.

"Turf-Head…you know I had you figured all wrong." Gokudera started but paused as he looked seriously at the enthusiastic boxer. However, it wasn't long before his face contorted into an expression of aggravation. "I thought you were a complete idiot like that baseball nut, but now I'm convinced that you've lost your fucking mind!"

Before, Ryohei could make an extreme comeback, another interrupted their argument altogether. The voice sternly questioned, "Why are you both crowding by the entrance and disturbing the whole building?"

Ryohei turned to the direction of the voice. His grey eyes caught sight of a dark haired person with cold piercing eyes. The boxer was able to recognize the person quickly by one glance. "Hibari? We were just waiting for Sawada to the extreme."

"Shit!" The bomber cursed as he too gazed at the prefect. Hibari didn't look at all happy and Gokudera figured that Ryohei and his argument must have caused a disturbance. The silver haired freshman slowly inched his way to the exit as the disciplinary prefect slowly slid his tonfas out from some unknown space.

* * *

After he had separated from Gokudera and Tsuna, Yamamoto came here. This was the one place where things always made sense to him. On this field, everything abided by the rules of baseball and if you didn't follow those rules than you were dismissed. On the field, few words needed to be spoken and communication was only available from the bat to the ball. If you hit the ball well, then communication was successful and you could advance. And if you were not skillful enough to hit the tricky ball, then you struck out. Baseball was simple.

Yamamoto stood on the first plate on the illuminated stage that was the baseball field. His world. Standing there in a strong position, knees bent slightly, his head lowered a tad, and his grip on his bat tight yet loose. His dark chestnut eyes fixated on the devil of a machine that would spit a threatening fast ball at him. The baseball fanatic was ready. He could take this. Hitting a fast ball at high speeds was something he could handle. However, he couldn't admit to himself that his world did not have the same glamour that it once did. This stage used to thrill him to no end but now…its only use was to give him a good work out.

_Why am I even doing this? _Yamamoto thought to himself as he began to loosen his grip on the bat. _Maybe all I've done was for nothing._

"Yamamoto-san…" A familiar voice called from outside the field. Yamamoto eyes shifted to the bleachers where he saw a small boy stood. The baseball fanatic's eyes widened as he realized that the boy was Tsuna.

"Tsuna…what are you doing here?" Yamamoto asked, surprised.

"I saw the lights." The brunette said as he approached his athletic friend. Tsuna observed Yamamoto as he lowered his bat and eased out of his current position. The brunette searched the field for others, but no one was in sight except Yamamoto. Tsuna began to wonder why Yamamoto was practicing by himself. "Yamamoto-san…"

Before Tsuna could finish his sentence, the fast ball that Yamamoto was anticipating was launched. Yamamoto lunged for Tsuna, tackling the smaller boy onto the ground and out of the harmful path of the ball. The fast ball whizzed passed the duo and slammed into the gate, getting stuck. Yamamoto's chocolate eyes gazed at the ball that could have hurt Tsuna. His heart was beating so fast that he thought it would explode out of his chest and run a marathon. Part of the additional speed from his heart beats was because of his friend's near death experience, but was also due to his having the smaller boy underneath him in a very compromising position. Tsuna was spread out on the ground with his legs totally straddled by the jock above him. The brunette eyes were closed from the impact that shook his frame. It was the first time he had ever been tackled to the ground and his first experience didn't feel at all pleasant.

"Ow." Tsuna groaned and his tawny eyes slowly opened, looking up at Yamamoto.

"Are you alright, Tsuna?" The baseball fanatic questioned.

Tsuna nodded. He was fine. His body ached but he was still alive. The brunette was thankful that Yamamoto saved him from getting injured. If it was his old school, he would have gained a trip to the infirmary. "Yes…but why were you practicing with such a dangerous machine?!"

"It's not dangerous. You just can't allow the balls to hit you." Yamamoto chuckled, he was happy that Tsuna managed emerge from the experience unscathed.

_It is dangerous!_ Tsuna mused. He sighed but he had to admit that Yamamoto had a point. It was safe as long as you don't get in the line of fire. He had been the stupid one to walk aimlessly into a baseball field without knowing of the danger. "Um…Yamamoto-san…thanks for saving me."

"Sure, Tsuna. I'll be glad to tackle you to the ground any time." The baseball idiot joked.

Tsuna laughed, he had to hand it to Yamamoto for making a near death experience funny. "Well, I did knock you to the ground once. So I guess we're even."

Yamamoto remember that incident because it was the same day he asked Tsuna to come to his baseball tryout. The baseball fanatic remembered that day very fondly because Tsuna had of course said yes and it was also the day his rivalry with Gokudera started. Tsuna had been running down the hallway for some reason and had run into him, causing him to be tackled by the smaller boy. In that sense, they were both even, however Yamamoto wasn't satisfied with that. "Almost even."

Yamamoto pressed his lips against Tsuna and the brunette was stilled by a tranquil coolness. Tsuna could no longer think his mind had stopped all thinking processes. Although, Tsuna was very surprised that his friend was kissing him, he was unable to feel shocked. All the tension that this kind of situation could deliver to anyone disappeared. Any unease was soothed by the athlete's soft lips. His mind, body and soul were overtaken by an utter calmness, a peace that the world would never see. The jock pressed harder against his lips and Tsuna forgot the reason why he was so bothered that Yamamoto was kissing him. The feel of the other's lips sent him to a wondrous place. Since day one of attending Namimori, his mind has never gotten a chance to rest. But here, in Yamamoto's hold…he was relieved of his own worries.

Yamamoto drew back just a bit, to slowly lick Tsuna's bottom lip. His tongue slowly sailed from one corner of the lip to the other. The feel of such a sensual act made Tsuna shiver slightly under the touch and he relaxed as Yamamoto's conquest of his lips continued on. Although the mood that they shared was serene, Yamamoto's kiss was not so placid. Although, Yamamoto gently pressed his lips against Tsuna's, the jock knew the exact place to touch in order to make them crumble. The other cleverly knew which buttons of Tsuna's he should press and he exerted this knowledge by making the other moan, shudder and ache. After he got his fill, Yamamoto released Tsuna and watched the brunette slowly come down from his high. The baseball fanatic couldn't help smiling at the deliciously cute countenance upon Tsuna's face. The smaller boy's face was flushed with a shade of pink and his half-lidded eyes were glazed over as if he were in another world. Yamamoto had an urge to kiss Tsuna again to wake him up out of his daze, but he decided to behave himself. He whispered to Tsuna. "Now, we're square."

The brunette slowly got a hold of senses. Reluctantly, he descended from cloud nine and began to realize the situation at hand; he had been kissed by a friend and what was more, another guy! "Y-yamamoto-san, w-why did you kiss me?"

"Dunno…seemed like a good idea at the time." Yamamoto answered with a slight shrug of his shoulders. Although Yamamoto said this, he actually did know why he had kissed Tsuna. He liked the freshman a lot but, out of fear, he decided to play dumb just in case his risqué move ended badly. He watched Tsuna's expressions, so that he could take cover if Tsuna decided to be violent. However, the mascot became distracted by something else.

"And why are your hands under my shirt?" The brunette asked quietly, although he was trying not to freak out.

Yamamoto looked down and realized that his hands were indeed under Tsuna's shirt. The jock had been with girls before this and it was normal for him to do so with his other girlfriends. Yamamoto guessed it was weird to the brunette or any other boy, to be groped in such a manner. "Sorry…habit." The athlete apologized with a smile.

Although, Yamamoto never gave him a clear answer about why he kissed him, Tsuna accepted it. The brunette figured that it seemed like something that Yamamoto felt he had to do at that moment. So Tsuna didn't think much of it and he forgave Yamamoto for groping him…also accepting it as a spur of the moment impulse and not anything else. After Yamamoto removed his hands from under his shirt, Tsuna sat up on the ground and looked his friend squarely in the eyes. The brunette had come here for a certain purpose and nothing else was going to distract him. Tsuna stated, "You were acting weird during today's game."

"You noticed?" Yamamoto said with an air of astonishment. The baseball fanatic thought that he had concealed his feelings pretty well. No one ever knew what he was thinking or felt because he always had such a carefree outlook. Although, Yamamoto acted like nothing could ever bother him, a lot of things did. He was surprised that Tsuna was able to see through his near perfect facade but at the same time, he did want someone to find out his secret.

The jock watched as the brunette slowly nodded, saying that he had noticed. Yamamoto sighed heavily, wondering if he could trust Tsuna enough to open himself to the brunette. When he had a small problem he usual kept it to himself to deal with but with this problem, he couldn't resolve it alone. He needed help or some sort of guidance. He looked to Tsuna with some hope. Perhaps, Tsuna could steer him in the right direction. _I guess you never know until you try._ The baseball fanatic thought to himself.

"I've found myself getting pretty distracted. I've been thinking of it more often…even more often then I think of baseball. But, that didn't seem right to me. Baseball has always meant something to me, but now I'm not so sure. I figure that if I can get this distracted and not think of baseball, does this mean that I've lost interest? So I came here to see if I could find the answer. To try to the find the drive I once had." Yamamoto slowly explained. His face was void of any emotion. Yamamoto had talked very seriously and Tsuna understood the magnitude of his friend's distress. However, the jock's seriousness was short-lived, and in an attempt to cover up his own distress, Yamamoto gave his trademark smile and said, "Its stupid isn't it? It's probably just a phase."

"It's not stupid at all. I know that baseball means a lot to you and if I was so into something like that, I would be worried too." The brunette began looking at the taller boy sincerely. "This might sound selfish but I hate baseball and any other sport. Yet, when I watch you play I get so excited and engrossed. I've never seen such a great player as you. I can tell by the way you play baseball that it's not just a hobby, but rather a part of your life."

"You like watching me play?" Yamamoto inquired, his eyebrows raising just an inch to show his surprise. Even though the baseball nut was shocked, knowing that Tsuna had watched him with so much interest made him ecstatic. All of a sudden, he felt the need to make a homerun. And it couldn't just be a regular homerun; it had to be the best in the history of the world because Yamamoto wanted Tsuna to witness him performing it.

"Yes, I do." Tsuna admitted and he continued as he looked at Yamamoto shyly. "So, that's why I don't want you to stop. If you can not find an answer for yourself to keep playing then let me be your motivation for a while. And I will try to motivate you any way that I can because I want to see you play. So please, Yamamoto, please continue playing baseball."

Yamamoto took a moment to take in everything that Tsuna said. No one had ever said such words to him before. Tsuna's words already had the power to energize him. All his doubt and regret seemed to have vanished. The sport of baseball became just as enthralling as it had the first time he had held a bat in his hands. However, Tsuna's words not only jolted life into his love for the game but also made him realize that the brunette before him was an amazing person. A person he really wanted to kiss…and perhaps even more than that. "Tsuna…" The baseball fanatic said softly.

"I'm sorry…you see I don't know how to talk to people. I think I said something I shouldn't have. I'm sorry." Tsuna quickly apologized.

"It made me really happy hearing that from you." Yamamoto relieved Tsuna of thinking that he had said something bad-mannered. He then brightly beamed. "For now, until I can find my own answer for playing…I will use you. Now that I think of it…I never really had real motivation. Baseball was something I was really good at….at least, that's how I felt. I guess I just wanted people to view me as a little more reliable. I guess in the end, I just wanted to be liked."

"Well, even without baseball…I think you are a very reliable person. You are the most reliable person I know. You've helped me out so much and I'm very thankful that I have you as a friend. So you don't have to feel that you need to prove yourself through sports. I think without trying you are very dependable. " The freshman assured Yamamoto.

"Tsuna…" Yamamoto cupped the freshman's cheek as he looked intently into Tsuna's tawny orbs. "Thank you."

Tsuna was once again captivated by the athlete. The hand upon his cheek made his heart beat fast and the blood in his face rush to his cheek. He watched as Yamamoto swoop in to show his gratitude to Tsuna, leaning into him once more. Being glued to his seat and too petrified to stop his friend, it was easy for the jock to steal another kiss. The jock was just inches away from the brunette's soft lips, his warm breath gracing its supple surface. However, Yamamoto did not act. Tsuna was even confused, wondering why his friend had come so close to him. "Ah…Yamamoto…is something wrong?"

The baseball idiot eyes slowly trailed up from Tsuna's lips to his eyes. For moment, he just stared at the other before he drew back and gave a carefree laugh. "I forgot…we have a history exam tomorrow."

"That's right. I better go and study." Tsuna slowly recollected, but the freshman did have a feeling that Yamamoto had something else on mind. Yet, he decided not to pry. Tsuna stood up from his place, dusting off some of the dirt that got on his uniform after Yamamoto tackled him to the ground. He looked over to his friend, as he also got up from the floor. "Are you coming?"

"No, I'll leave it up to fate. If I pass, then I pass and if I fail, then I fail. All that matters is that I tried my best." Was the taller boy's untroubled response.

_Yamamoto, you're too optimistic for your own good_. Tsuna thought to himself, but he still admired how relaxed Yamamoto could be. He was never able to be so calm, how could when he had such bad luck? He smiled softly at Yamamoto before he left the other's side, waving. "Well, okay. Don't work too hard. See you tomorrow."

"Yea, see you tomorrow." Yamamoto waved back as he watched the small figure of Tsuna slowly disappear into the darkness of the night. For a fleeting moment he had a feeling that he shouldn't have allowed the small boy to travel so late at night by himself. Yet, Yamamoto was sure that the true danger was not out there but in himself. The baseball fanatic wanted to pounce on Tsuna again but he had intentionally stopped himself. He wasn't sure how Tsuna felt about him and from their conversation Yamamoto gathered that the brunette only saw him as a good friend. The jock found this more frustrating than his "baseball problem", he thought that if he kissed Tsuna, then there would be no need for words, his feelings would be transferred to Tsuna via osmosis. That wasn't the case at all and to him, Tsuna was unresponsive to his bold move. However, the jock blamed Tsuna's indifference on his cowardly way of covering up for the kiss. But, Yamamoto was not discouraged. He was positive that he could win over Tsuna; he would just have to try harder. Perhaps with better methods, he would achieve better results.

Yamamoto soon realized that he had never lost interest in baseball. It had always been there. But now, there was a new game that he was a loyal player of. In this game, he didn't know the rules and the opponents would be tough. Still, Yamamoto was positive that this game will be no different from any others he had played. He would not lose. Yes, the pursuit of Sawada Tsunayoshi would be a thrilling game indeed.

* * *

The brunette sluggishly walked through the archway of Sky dorm. He was tired and although, he needed to study for that history exam, he was convinced that he was going to fail anyway. He decided not to try to study because it would be wasted effort. As he walked through the entrance doors of the Sky dorm he was hit by this murderous aura. Tsuna quickly looked around to find out where this deadly intent was coming from. His eyes fell on a dark haired boy not too far from him. The blaring red and gold armband was a dead giveaway of who this threathening person was. Tsuna watched as the boy slowly looked up from his current place and turned to him. The way the other's cold blue eyes pierced into him, convinced Tsuna that he was in deep trouble.

"Hiiii! Hibari-san…what are you doing here?" Tsuna inquired. The brunette had expected that Gokudera would be here waiting for him but the silver haired terrorist was nowhere to be seen. Gokudera had made it a habit to wait for Tsuna after they separated. And despite his wishes for the bomber to go on to bed, Gokudera has always loyally waited for him. Although, Tsuna felt guilty about it, he also found it quite comforting too. Right now, he would trade anything to have Gokudera in Hibari's place.

"Sawada Tsunayoshi." The prefect started as he slowly moved from the wall and faced the small herbivore. Hibari's cold eyes gave Tsuna the once over and what he unearthed was not pleasing to him at all. "You've broken two rules. Being out of bed after curfew and your school uniform being in disarray."

_But you're out of bed and your uniform is all bloody. What a hypocrite._ _But I better keep my mouth shut or else, he'll hit me or something worse._ Tsuna remarked to himself. He then decided that he should explain himself, although he knew that wouldn't work. "I'm so sorry, Hibari-san. I was on the baseball field with Yamamoto. I guess when he tackled me to the ground, he dirtied my uniform. I lost track of time."

As soon as Tsuna mentioned that Yamamoto was the one who dirtied his uniform, Hibari gave Tsuna the most bloodcurdling stare he had ever seen. The brunette nearly jumped out of his skin at the sight of it. _I think I might've said something I wasn't supposed to. _He considered to himself. He then watched as the prefect slowly walked past him on his way out of the sky dorms. "Ah…Hibari-san, where are you going?"

Hibari sneered, "To bite Yamamoto Takeshi to death."

_Yamamoto-san…run for you life! _Tsuna warned in the dimensions of mind but some how he hoped that his message would reach the jock. In the meantime, he tried every effort to keep Hibari from leaving the Sky dorm. And here he though it would be a calm week.

* * *

Author's note: I hoped you liked this chapter. It took me a while to think of what to write but it got finished…somehow. I have also decided that since Ryohei doesn't get much love then, he would have his own chapter after Gokudera's. And then after Ryohei, there will be a surprise presented by Byakuran, so look forward to it. I hope that I managed to keep everyone in character. Thank you again, Mithras151 for checking this chapter and previous you for reading this chapter as well as past chapters. Please review my work because reviewing is caring. Suggestions are welcome as long as there are good intentions behind them.


	12. Gokudera the Devoted

Hungry for Tsuna

A Katekyo Hitman Reborn Fanfiction

Disclaimer: Katekyo Hitman Reborn is not owned by me and if it did, I wouldn't be a penniless student.

Edited by Mithras151 : June 28, 2009

Chapter Twelve: Gokudera the Devoted

Favorite Quote from Chapter Twelve: "This is not a shojo manga!"

Tsuna sighed to himself. He had no idea what had gotten into Hibari the other night. The prefect had decided to go on an attack-anyone-on-sight spree. Sadly, Ryohei and Yamamoto had both fallen victim to the Skylark's metal tonfas. And it seemed as if the baseball obsessed jock, Hibari's main target, was bashed the hardest. Miraculously, Gokudera had managed to get away from the prefect, making his escape by leaving the building and leaping through an open window. Currently, Tsuna was checking on both Ryohei and Yamamoto, feeling very responsible for their misfortune. Ryohei had been clunked on the head a few times, but luckily he hadn't suffered any brain damage (Although, Gokudera would beg to differ). Besides the threat of brain damage, Ryohei had a few bruises and cuts that would heal with time. Yamamoto, on the other hand, had several broken ribs, a fractured collarbone (However, anything that could ruin his baseball career had been protected by the jock or from Tsuna's morbid outlook, spared by the prefect). And the baseball fanatic had his own share of war wounds. Tsuna took full responsibility for Yamamoto's injuries since it was his careless wording that caused Hibari to go after the jock in the first place. Even now, Tsuna couldn't figure out what was it he had said that could have made Hibari so angry at Yamamoto.

"I'm so sorry, guys." Tsuna apologized for the thousandth time.

"It's alright, Sawada, I'll make an extreme recovery." The fiery boxer declared intensely. Despite his condition, Ryohei didn't assure Tsuna that he would get better quickly because he was so fired up; rather he didn't want Tsuna to be sorry for something that was not his fault. He had been going to this school for a year longer than Tsuna, Yamamoto and Gokudera and from experience he knew that Hibari was very unpredictable with his attacks. It wasn't the first time he had been beaten by those tonfas, and there was even a period where he had provoked Hibari to hit him…at least that was the prefect's response to Ryohei, who constantly asked the disciplinarian to join the boxing club. Even now, the boxer still believed that Hibari needed to join his club.

"Ryohei is right. It's nothing too serious. We should be back on our feet in no time." The baseball athlete comforted Tsuna.

Tsuna knew that his friends weren't blaming him for what had happened, but he still was worried for them. It wasn't everyday that your friends get injured by a tonfa-wielding maniac…oh wait apparently at Namimori, that did happen often. "But you're both athletes. Isn't it a big deal when you get hurt?"

"Well, yeah but if we allowed scratches like these to stop us then we wouldn't be such good players." Yamamoto said coolly.

_You call broken bone a few scratches?!_ The freshman thought to himself. "Those are not scratches."

"Tsuna…it's okay." The jock said sternly.

Tsuna looked to Yamamoto when he said this, and by the tone of the other's voice, he knew that Yamamoto didn't want him to worry about it any further. So he just quietly stopped worrying out loud; however, his mind was exploding with concerns. His eyes met with the chocolate eyes of the calm athlete and his mental faculties completely stopped. Tsuna started to feel incredibly shy under Yamamoto's gaze. For some reason, he couldn't look at the baseball jock too long before he had look away in a sudden spell of embarrassment. No longer could Tsuna view Yamamoto as just his friend; he was a friend that kissed him. And although the jock played it off as an impulse, Tsuna had a feeling that there was something more to it. Yet, the innocent boy could not fathom the reason for the jock's actions. Even thinking that Yamamoto, or anyone who had kissed him, could actually like him was beyond his understanding. Tsuna was as clueless as ever, but to Yamamoto, Tsuna's embarrassment was not a total lost actually it made him even more confident. It was proof to the jock that his kiss had not been forgotten and every time Tsuna looked in his direction, the brunette would be reminded of that intimate moment that they had shared. Yamamoto had every reason to feel damn good about himself.

"Where's Octopus-Head?" Ryohei inquired, waking Tsuna out of his awkwardness.

Tsuna shook his head not knowing the answer to Ryohei's question. "I'm not sure."

"Well, that's weird." Yamamoto commented. Gokudera was like Tsuna's attack dog. He was always around Tsuna, and it was kind of weird that the bomber was not present. "Maybe, he's studying or something."

"I guess so…" Tsuna sighed, he considered the possibility, but he never really saw Gokudera study. Sometimes the silver haired teenager would be seen reading a book but he never did any of those activities while in Tsuna's presence in order to ensure that the brunette had his full and undivided attention. Tsuna just hoped his loyal friend wasn't doing anything reckless. Although it didn't seem like it, Tsuna did look out for Gokudera as well. The brunette was the first to stop Gokudera from using his dynamite or to try to calm him down when he'd been riled up. Tsuna believed that even the one who swore to protect, needed to be protected too.

* * *

He just needed one…just one. He had been trying to quit, but the habit always got the better of him. The calming poison of a good cigarette was too good of an idea to pass up. Although, it was against the rules to smoke on school grounds, the bomber always kept a pack on him. No one knew that he smoked because he had temporarily quit, thinking that the tenth would denounce him for his toxic habit. Sometimes in his room or in the bathroom, he would stand by the window just to sneak in a few puffs. However, today he had a very good reason for craving the tobacco. The silver haired terrorist had taken refuge on the 5th floor lounge of the Sky dorm. It was the middle of the day so people usually didn't use the lounges until later. Here, he would be left undisturbed with his "saving grace". As the bomber sucked the poisonous air into his lungs and exhaled it out, he brooded over his reason for solitude.

He had overheard Tsuna explain to Hibari why his uniform had gotten so dirty and he could understand why the prefect had gone ballistic. Although, his reasons were not as primal as the disciplinarian's, the bomber still felt that Tsuna had been tainted by the baseball idiot. He did not know the full details of what had happened but Yamamoto was a man, and Gokudera didn't need to guess. The baseball nut acted like he was stupid most of time, but the bomber knew that he was as sly as fox waiting to swoop in on his unsuspecting prey. In the name of Tsuna's virtue, Gokudera had almost been about to march to the baseball field with Hibari, if he hadn't escaped from discipliner's clutches previously.

Yet, the bomber felt he needed to be wary of the prefect as well. The way he reacted when Ryohei mentioned that they were waiting for Tsuna and the glare in his eye at hearing what Yamamoto had done was the look of a possessive man. Hibari was after Tsuna in his own way, but Gokudera had to admit that the dark haired prefect was a better protector to Tsuna than himself. Gokudera admired the prefect for his strength, fearlessness and his indifference to how possessive he came off to the brunette. Gokudera didn't have those qualities; after all, he didn't have the guts to tell the tenth that he liked him. He bet that Hibari would have no problem at doing that, or maybe if it came down to it, he wouldn't even have to utter a word, his feelings would get across to Tsuna.

The silver haired terrorist sighed as a stream of smoke escaped his body, dispersing into the atmosphere. The bomber knew that at this very moment, Tsuna was with Yamamoto and Ryohei in the infirmary. While Gokudera knew this, he didn't go to the brunette. It would be very hard to compete against sick people because sympathy would always overrule right or wrong. So he just stayed here, pondering his next move or rather his first move. Yet, nothing came to mind. He wasn't good at these sorts of things.

Gokudera just wasn't a people person, mostly because he made himself not be a people person. After finding out the truth of his mother's death, he had totally closed his heart to everything and everyone…even to himself. He had never trusted in anyone and he had made sure people never trusted in him. He grew up understanding that life was expendable and that it could be taken at any time. Gokudera was okay with this bitter fact. His mother's life had been expendable, and so it was only naturally that he felt that his own existence was also superfluous. Why should he care about his own life if someone was going to throw it away as if it wasn't worth shit? Why care?

The bomber had thought that way for a very long time until he met the tenth. He was the first person who actually showed he cared, or had at least shown Gokudera some compassion when he was about to get beaten by Hibari. Even if it was a small thing, it meant a lot to Gokudera. Tsuna had validated his life and that was the reason why he gladly followed Tsuna. To ensure the meaning of his own life, he had to protect Tsuna's life at all costs. Along the way, he had found himself falling in love with the brunette. Being in the small boy's presence made him so happy and he couldn't remember what it meant to be so content with life. He felt as if he was engulfed in harmonious warmth; everything seemed sweet and beautiful around Tsuna. And that's why he always barked at people who dared to inhabit his world, in an effort to preserve this small paradise with Tsuna.

Gokudera sighed, losing the urge to smoke his cigarette and he slowly smothered its flame by rubbing the butt of the cig on a hard surface. He was starting to get depressed again, but he didn't have the time to suffocate in his foul mood. The swipe of a white lab coat yards away gained his attention. The bomber eyes looked to the figure with the lab coat, his eyes widening upon seeing the distant figure.

"What is that bastard doing here?!" He said, jumping up from his place and glaring at the visitor. This was a person that Gokudera knew very well, and it was a surprise for Gokudera seeing him here in Japan, and at a selective boarding school to boot. The bomber was kind of glad to see him after such a long period of time, but that feeling was short lived. Suddenly, Gokudera remembered the reason why they had not seen each other for such a long time and any remnant of glee at seeing his old friend was overtaken by the newfound emotion of resentment. He followed the figure with his eyes in an attempt to make out where he was headed. He seemed to be headed in his direction, to the Sky dorms, and from this deduction Gokudera believed that his destination was the infirmary. Then he remembered that Tsuna and those idiot jocks were there. "Shit!" He cursed as he began to race to the infirmary.

-------------------------

Tsuna said his good byes to Yamamoto and Ryohei in addition to giving his word that he would come and visit them again. The brunette was still worried about their injuries, but he was equally worried about Gokudera. It was odd for the silver haired bomber to be away for such long stretches of time. Usually, Gokudera's protectiveness was a huge nuisance to him, but Tsuna felt like the universe was out whack without it. It had been such a normal thing to always have Gokudera by him, and having that now familiar presence gone left Tsuna feeling empty. So he decided that he would look for his silver haired guardian. The brunette's mind occupied as he walked down the halls, he bumped into someone out of sheer absentmindedness.

"I'm sorry. I wasn't looking at where I was going," Tsuna apologized as he jumped back a step or two from the person he had run into. His large eyes slowly looked up to see if the individual was upset about their collision. Tsuna was ready to take full responsibility for his insolence, but was surprised to see a very lecherous smile across the older man's face. The older man looked as if he was around his mid-30s, but the man's five o' clock shadow made him look a tad older. His skin was tan, his eyes a chocolate brown, and his hair was an even darker tint of earthy brown than his eyes. The man's hair was styled in a shaggy fashion similar to Gokudera's, and he wore a white lab coat on top of a black button down shirt, gray slacks and dark dress shoes. His red tie hung around his neck loose and his black shirt was left opened at the collar. Tsuna eyed the gold chain that hung within the inside of his shirt and the golden rings on his fingers, each one holding a different place in an assortment of precious jewels. The brunette was beginning to think that this foreigner was part of some international crime syndicate, either that, or he was some kind of a drug dealer. And yet, although he assumed the stranger was involved in some rather illegal activities, he didn't feel a bad vibe from him.

Tsuna watched as the mysterious man rubbed at his scruffy chin as he gazed at him with a debauched leer. He then said smoothly, "I didn't think there would be a flower in this place."

"A flower?" Tsuna questioned, confused by the older man's statement.

The man took a subsequent step toward Tsuna and without invitation placed his large hands firmly on Tsuna's chest. The brunette tensed, as the mysterious began to fondle him, trying to grasp something that apparently should have been there. Tsuna couldn't believe this was happening. "And you're a late bloomer, too. But its okay…you'll soon get them." The man commented.

"Can I ask you why you are touching my chest?!" The freshman shrieked.

The man looked up at Tsuna as if that was a weird question to ask but he answered anyway. "Because you're a pretty girl."

Tsuna pushed the other's hands away from him and covered the recently violated area with his school bag. He then argued, "No, I'm a boy."

"Oh I see." Was the seemingly promising statement of the older man. He observed as the man seemed like he was working up an apology but instead, Tsuna got something else. "I know how these things go. You've infiltrated this all boy's school by pretending to be a boy to get closer to your crush. Don't worry; I'll keep your secret safe."

_This is not a shojo manga!_ Tsuna yelled in his head, trying to keep himself from tearing his hair out. "I don't know what you are talking about but I really am a boy."

"You can't fool me. You're large eyes, petite figure and your soft voice. I know a girl when I see one." He pointed at every one of Tsuna's feminine features as he said this.

_I get my features from my mother, I can't help that!_ The brunette mentally defended himself. However, the same kind of courage did not reflect in his words. "But even so…"

"If a girl goes through such lengths for a guy then she must be really special. How about a kiss?" The stranger totally ignored his feeble attempt to defend himself. The foreigner's arm wrapping around his small waist and leaning in to his face as Tsuna tried to figure everything out. Although the foreigner was speaking near perfect Japanese it was like French to him; this man wasn't making any kind of sense. Before the man managed to get too close, Tsuna's reflexes kicked in and he pushed the older man roughly away from his person as he turned and sprinted down the hall.

"Sorry…I have to be leaving now." Tsuna apologized as he ran as far away as he could from this strange man.

The foreigner was not at all discouraged by the brunette actions. Actually, it was more of an incentive for him to continue his advances. He was convinced that Tsuna was just being a shy girl. After all, what girl wouldn't be shy at the sight of him? Sometimes he was too much man for some girls. So he ran after Tsuna, as it wasn't everyday that one met such a beautiful girl. "Don't be shy!"

"Please stay away! I'm not what you think I am!" Tsuna yelled back at his pursuer.

"Tenth!" Tsuna heard a familiar voice coming from ahead of him. At the end of the hallway was his silver haired guardian. The brunette felt so immensely happy to see Gokudera, not only because he was being chased, but also because now he knew that his friend was fine. He happily ran up to his friend, knowing that he would save him and end things.

"Gokudera-san!" The freshman exclaimed brightly.

The bomber questioned, "Are you alright, tenth?"

Tsuna shook his head as he caught his breath and then he explained what was troubling him. "There's a man who's chasing me."

"Shamal! That bastard!" Gokudera sneered. He then looked to Tsuna, tenderly trying to comfort the tenth. He could only imagine how traumatizing it had been to be chased after by such an ugly asshole like Shamal. Here, though, he could prove to the tenth how much better he was than anyone else. If he could get rid of this one obstacle for Tsuna, then he could be sure that Tsuna's eyes would always be on him. "It's alright, tenth. I'm here now."

"You know him?" asked Tsuna as he looked to the bomber. Then he realized something about Gokudera that was very similar to the foreigner. _Well…now that I think of it. They do have the same hairstyles. _

"Chuu~n!" Tsuna jumped at the disgusting sound that Shamal made as he managed to catch up to them. The brunette's view of his pursuer was then blocked by Gokudera's body, which stood in front of him like a shield.

"Shamal, what the hell are you doing?!" The bomber barked at the doctor.

As if waking up from a dream, Shamal stopped his love struck chase and recognized Gokudera. "Oh, Hayato…you go to this school? You're sister didn't mention anything about it."

_Sister?_ Tsuna thought to himself at Shamal's mentioning of Gokudera's relative.

"That's beside the point! Stop bothering the tenth!" growled the Silver haired freshman.

"Tenth? That's a weird name…"Shamal observed.

The small brunette then peeked from around Gokudera's shoulder and informed Shamal of his true name. Since, Gokudera knew him and he had some relation to his family then it should be okay to introduce himself. "Actually, that's Gokudera's nickname for me. My name is Sawada Tsunayoshi but you can call me Tsuna. Nice to meet you."

"Pleasure to meet you as well. I'm Dr. Shamal." The doctor greeted back.

"Tenth, don't greet the pervert." Gokudera warned.

Tsuna blushed, knowing that he shouldn't make acquaintances with molesters. "Oh sorry."

Gokudera turned back to the foreigner. "Shamal, stay away from the tenth. And don't you prefer girls anyway?!"

"Isn't she one?" The doctor said as he pointed at Tsuna from behind Gokudera's back. He was convinced that Tsuna was a female and no one could tell him otherwise.

"No!" Gokudera roared.

Shamal raised an eyebrow. It was so strange to him that no one else had noticed that Tsuna was a girl, but then again, Gokudera wasn't the brightest tool in the tool shed when it came to the opposite sex. Now, he proposed that Gokudera had been fooled by Tsuna since that was the only logical conclusion he could make. "So, she's fooled you too, eh?"

"What the fuck?!" Gokudera barked perplexedly. He had no idea what Shamal was talking about, but he felt his words were insulting to the tenth. Sure, Tsuna had some beautiful features, but that didn't make him any less of a man. The tenth was actually a pretty attractive man, but to call him a girl was going too far. In order to protect Tsuna's honor Gokudera had to make Shamal eat his words. His hands slid into his pockets and he pulled out a few sticks of dynamite and declared, "For ridiculing the tenth, I'll make you disappear."

"That's big talk coming from some snotty-nosed brat I used to know. Have you forgotten who I am?" Shamal huffed at the bomber's threat.

"I don't give a shit about who you are! And I'm not the same brat you knew! I'll prove it!" Gokudera roared with resolve. But no matter how enthusiastic he was in protecting Tsuna, it was no use. As Gokudera went to light his dynamite, a mosquito with a trident as its nose sunk its teeth into him and the virus that it contained in its small body began to take effect. The bomber's vision began to blur and he began to feel disoriented. He collapsed to his knees from the battle that was stirring within his body. His immune system was trying to fight off the virus but was being overpowered.

"Nope. You're the same." Shamal said as he watched his previous pupil fall to his side roughly.

"Gokudera-san!" Tsuna screamed as he watched his friend mysteriously grow ill. He came to aid of his fallen friend, placing his hand on the boy's forehead. The brunette recoiled as he realized that Gokudera's forehead was scorching hot. The boy's skin color changed to flaming hot red. Tsuna looked up from the ailing Gokudera to Shamal. "What did you do to him?"

Shamal pointed to the small mosquito that was hovering over Tsuna's head and he explained, "That mosquito gave him the 'seven minutes in hell' disease. It's an incurable disease that raises your temperature, blood pressure and heart rate. He's only got seven minutes to live."

Tsuna took in everything. To hear that his friend was going to die from an incurable disease in seven minutes was horrifying. Tsuna didn't want to see his friend die. His mind raced but he tried his best to stay calm. He took a deep breath to clear his mind. If Shamal was the one who gave Gokudera the virus then the doctor had to know some knowledge on how to cure him. "What can I do to stop it?"

"Well, I have the antidote but it'll be a complete waste of time. That boy still hasn't changed from the last time I've seen him. He still doesn't see it. He doesn't see the value of his own life. If he's going to throw it away in a meaningless battle, then he might as well perish now." Shamal rebuked Gokudera. That boy had not grown up one bit. He had hoped that Gokudera would get the message, but this battle was proof that the other still didn't get it. The doctor was convinced that the bomber would never learn, and so he was better off dying by Shamal's hand instead of someone else's.

"I know…I know that Gokudera thinks very highly of me and not of himself. He thinks that my life is more precious than his but he shouldn't think that way. He always tries to protect me, but I want to protect Gokudera too. So I felt in order to protect Gokudera, I had to make him realize that his life had as much value as mine. If I protect him, then he will learn that his life is important. That his life is worth protecting…the same way he protects me. And it isn't Gokudera's fault; I should have stood up to you myself instead of hiding behind him. I just didn't know how to deal with you and I thought that Gokudera would make everything better. This is my entire fault and I'm willing to take the responsibility for it. So please, Dr. Shamal, I will do anything. Please give him the antidote. I don't want him to die." Tsuna pleaded with the foreigner.

"Well, how can I say no to such a sweet girl? Fine, I'll cure him." The doctor promised.

Tsuna smiled happily," Thank you so much, Dr. Shamal. But don't you want anything in return?"

"Well, I only kiss girls." Shamal winked and proceeded to treating Gokudera.

_This guy still thinks I'm a girl masquerading as boy but whatever, as long as he cures Gokudera…I can live with that. _Tsuna sighed, seeing that there was no way of getting through to him.

Shamal took out a small white case that contained capsules. The doctors then selected one and released another mosquito. Tsuna watched as this mosquito laid on Gokudera's hand and bit into him, administering the antidote. "Since The Tranquility Disease is the opposite of the Seven minutes in hell disease, it should negate it."

Tsuna watched as Gokudera's color changed to his normal complexion. "It's working!" The brunette said excitedly.

Shamal placed away his case, seeing no need for it anymore. He then left Tsuna with the responsibility of looking after the bomber. "I'll leave him to you, Missy. Since I don't treat guys."

"Thank you, Dr. Shamal." Tsuna smiled at the doctor, truly gratefully that he allowed Gokudera to live.

"If things don't work out with that guy you like. Just transfer to _Saxifrage_ _Academia_. I'll make you feel right at home." Foreign doctor offered as he began to walk away in the opposite direction.

"Saxifrage Academia?" The brunette didn't recognize the name.

"It's an all girl's school." Shamal informed Tsuna.

_That will never happen…_Tsuna considered with a chill running down his spine. "Ah….okay." He said sweetly as the Doctor disappeared.

"Tenth…" Gokudera said weakly. The brunette's gaze shifted to Gokudera. He watched as his friend slowly sat up, but the bomber cringed at the spikes of pain that shook his body. Although Gokudera was in a world of pain because of his recovery, he could not forgive himself. He was unable to protect the tenth and he had let Tsuna down by allowing Shamal to take him down so easily. How could he call himself Tsuna's protector if he could not properly protect him? Even now, he could not look Tsuna in his eyes because he was so ashamed. "Tenth….I'm very sorry. I failed you again."

"Stop it!" Tsuna demanded. He didn't mean to yell but he couldn't control the emotions he was feeling at the moment. Tsuna didn't know where Gokudera got this idea that he had failed him. Gokudera had not failed him at all. The bomber had tried his best and went up against an opponent that he could not beat. But what bothered Tsuna the most was that Gokudera had been inches away from death and the only thing he could think about was how he failed him. The brunette's eyes started to water and the tears began to fall with no signs of stopping. "You almost died, Gokudera."

The bomber tensed, it was the first time he heard Tsuna yell, and sadly, he was the victim of it. He watched Tsuna carefully as the other's emotions changed once more and his beloved tenth started to cry. The sight of seeing tears rolling down Tsuna's face made him feel terrible. "Tenth...?"

Tsuna looked to his friend and whispered softly, "I was scared that you would disappear."

"Tenth." He said, as he pulled the brunette into his chest and embraced him. His body ached, but there was no pain like seeing the tenth cry. He wanted to console Tsuna and make him forget about everything. "I'm very sorry."

Tsuna allowed himself to be held by Gokudera for a few moments. He felt right at home in the terrorist's grip. There was no safer place than where he was. He clung to the other's warmth until he could calm down. Once his mind was clear, the brunette knew that he needed to talk to Gokudera. He had promised both Shamal and himself that he would show Gokudera his own worth and that he would teach the other to value his own life. It had to be done, or else this would happen again and Gokudera may not be as lucky the next time. He then slowly pulled back from the other's chest and looked up to his friend's emerald eyes. "Gokudera-san…why did you go up against Dr. Shamal?"

"Because, I wanted to protect the tenth." Gokudera answered, raising an eyebrow. He thought that was obvious and he wondered why Tsuna was asking him this question. Yet, he kept silent and obediently answered the freshman before him.

"But weren't you afraid of losing your life?" The brunette inquired.

The self- proclaimed guardian swung his head back and forth, he didn't mind at all risking his life for Tsuna. He felt he did something rather magnanimous. He had shown all the good qualities of a fearless guardian and he courageously went into a losing battle even though the outcome was inevitable. Gokudera felt really proud of himself. "Actually, I'm fine with that. It was the tenth that gave my life meaning, so I don't mind giving up my life if it means the tenth could live."

"But that's not right, Gokudera-san. I wouldn't be a good friend if I allowed you to think that way. No one's life is more important than the other. Everyone's life is important and the amount of importance is the same." Tsuna lectured him. The brown haired teenager could tell he was putting a damper on Gokudera's triumphant attitude.

"But the tenth is very precious to me…more precious than anyone or anything. If I could prolong your life by giving up my own, then that would be fine. If the tenth could use this pitiful life, then I don't mind. I would be very happy to do it!" The bomber responded adamantly.

Tsuna sighed heavily, "But that wouldn't make me happy?"

"Tenth…" Gokudera already started to look like a scolded child. Although, the brunette's voice was very calm and kind, he could feel the weight of the other's words. Slowly he began to see the error of his ways. All he wanted to do was make Tsuna happy and hearing that his ways would ultimately make the tenth miserable, opened his eyes.

Tsuna slowly smiled, seeing that his friend was getting it. "I think that it would make me much happier if I had Gokudera by my side. I'm not saying that you can't protect me, I would never take that away from you, but through whatever strife we go through, I hope that Gokudera is able to endure and overcome it with me. I just met you but I know that you are a good person and a great friend. I want to keep you with me for as long as I can. So please for my sake, for my happiness and well being, you will take care of that life that I treasure."

"Of course, Tenth. I don't ever want to see you cry, again." Gokudera said obediently.

"That's good because I don't like crying." Tsuna smiled charmingly as he rubbed unshed tears from his eyes.

"I'm really sorry, tenth." The bomber profusely apologized.

"I'm also sorry for making you feel that you need to prove yourself to me by risking your life for mine. You really don't. I really cherish my relationship with you because you remind me a lot of myself. Going to school here wouldn't be the same if I didn't have you by my side." The freshman blushed at his own declaration.

"Tenth…you…cherish me?" The bomber inquired happily.

_Umm…that doesn't sound quite right but..._ Tsuna thought to himself, not recalling the use of such a phrase. However, with the way Gokudera's eyes lit up with so much expectation, Tsuna couldn't bring himself to correct him. "I guess you can say that."

Gokudera was soon filled with so much happiness that he felt as if he were going to burst. It was music to his ears to hear that the tenth treasured him. He almost felt like a love struck girl finding out that her crush shared her feelings but he never liked that rubbish. However, this feeling was very similar. Still brimming with the rapture of it all, the guardian blurted out. "Tenth, can I kiss you?"

"Huh?" Tsuna said baffled. The brunette's color was now changing to a bright red. Had he heard his friend right? Did he just ask to kiss him? The brunette couldn't believe his ears.

"Nevermind…It was a stupid request! I'll punish myself for asking such an indecent thing of you." Gokudera ruefully replied. Tsuna then watched as Gokudera got into an odd position. The silver haired bomber sat on his knees as if he was praying to some higher power. Gokudera than bend over his torso so that it was parallel to the ground place each of his hands to the side of him. There was a moment of pause before the bomber started banging his head against the ground.

_Didn't you just recover from a deadly disease?! What are you doing?! _Tsuna's mind registered the things that could not escape his mouth at the moment. "Gokudera-san!" Tsuna screamed placing his hands on the silver haired boy's shoulders to stop him. "Stop it! You'll hurt yourself."

The feel of the tenth's hands on him made the bomber instantly stop. Gokudera's emerald eyes slowly looked up from the floor that he had just finished banging his head against to the warm eyes of the tenth. He gazed into the depths of those brown-orangeish eyes and he could feel himself falling for the tenth all over again. Oblivious to the leering looks that the bomber was giving him, Tsuna was more focused on the reddening bruise on the other's forehead and he couldn't help but laugh a little. Although, the silver haired teenager's practice of self punishing himself was no laughing matter, he couldn't help but be charmed by the red spot on Gokudera's forehead.

"You shouldn't hurt yourself like this. Remember I said your life is very important to me." The brunette commented as he reached for Gokudera's face, Tsuna's small and delicate hands were slowly placed onto the sides of the bomber's face. The petite freshman then leaned into Gokudera and gently kissed the mark on his friend's forehead. As soon as Tsuna's lips touched his skin, it was over. His body temperature started to rise and his heart picked up its pace. He even started to feel a bit feverish, as if Shamal's mosquito had bitten him once more. However, the bomber knew it wasn't an upcoming sickness but the way the tenth's touch affected him. Gokudera couldn't contain himself any longer. The tenth's touch made him want to react in such an imprudent manner. There were so many possible options as to what he could do to the cute freshman, but in the end all he wanted to return the same small affections that Tsuna afforded him except tenfold.

"I'm sorry, Tenth!" Gokudera apologized as he leaned in to the brunette, towering over the smaller boy. The bomber allowed his body to do the talking; he had never been good with words anyway. Plus, there was a chance of the tenth misunderstanding him or him not being able to say them at all. But if he allowed his body to carry out his loving whims, then at least they would be expressed and liberated from his aching heart. He would take responsibility for his actions later, but at least he got the chance to experience his dark pleasures. The bomber started a strategic attack at the base of the freshman's exposed neck. He laid a trail of butterfly kisses up to the brown-haired innocent's chin.

"Gokudera!" Tsuna shrieked as he tried to bring his silver haired guardian back to his senses, but Gokudera wasn't ready yet. He wanted to enjoy the tenth in ways that no other person was able to. Ever since he met Tsuna he has been dreaming of this very moment and nothing was going to stop him. For only during this moment, the tenth was his and his alone. All his resolve was placed into the passionate kisses that he began to lay on Tsuna. As Tsuna tried to protest once more, he was silenced as Gokudera's mouth smashed against his and it was like fireworks. The ardor of the bomber's kiss was like an explosion against his lips. Although, sloppy, bruising, and fast, Gokudera's inexperience was overshadowed by the passion that he felt for Tsuna. The tantalizing feel of the other's lips against his placed Tsuna in a roller coaster-like stupor. Afterall, his stomach was doing flips and he felt completely overwhelmed by the thrill of Gokudera's sinfully delicious lips. All of his resistance diminished under the relentless attack of the bomber's mouth.

His silver haired guardian sensually caressed Tsuna's neck, as if to calm the brunette and ensure he wouldn't run away from him. His hold on Tsuna was gentle but even the freshman knew that it would be impossible to get away from Gokudera if he wanted to. But, Tsuna wasn't even thinking of running, the idea had never come to mind as he let bomber ravished him. Just like the others who had kissed him, he had to admit he enjoyed it, and Gokudera's affection was just as pleasurable. Gokudera not only conquered his mouth and assaulted his neck but fondled with his ears with his lips and tongue. The terrorist's teeth nibbled on the outside of Tsuna's face plant his tiny marks all around the brunette while his tongue sailed about the crevices of his ear, finding the buried treasure within the maze of his cartilage. Gokudera then moved back to the brunette's lips, setting explosive kisses upon it. Although the bomber had been bold, he could not partake in one act. No matter how inviting the tenth's lips were, he did not allow himself to French kiss the innocent. Even in his subconscious, he felt he wasn't worthy of such a thing. And so, he tried his best to avoid separating the brunette's lips. He just satisfied himself with the simple pleasure of claiming those pink lips as long as he wished. At the last moments of passion, Gokudera had the brunette in a breathtaking lock and the hold was bruising to both party's lips. However, the slight pangs of pain did not stop Gokudera until he felt the air in his lungs deplete. Parting for air, the bomber's mouth hovered above the freshman's divided lips. The other's hot breath against the surface of his mouth made him shudder. With half-lidded eyes he gazed up at Gokudera as the self-proclaimed guardian looked down at him.

Looking into the alluring eyes of his tenth, Gokudera realized his misdemeanor. He had let himself get carried away. So many things passed through his head, two of which were that the tenth must hate him and the other being what he needed to do to fix this! He slowly released his intimate hold of his precious tenth. Watching the brunette wake out of his daze to incur his wrath upon him for defiling his body, Gokudera bowed before Tsuna as if he was praying for the other's divine mercy. Before, Tsuna could say anything to relieve Gokudera, the bomber blurted out, "Tenth, I'm so sorry…I took advantage of you. I'll commit seppuku, right now!"

_Seppuku, isn't that a bit extreme?!_ Tsuna thought to himself as he watched the silver haired boy, sit up reaching for his dynamite. Was he planning to blow himself up?! The brunette had to calm the bomber down quickly before he did anything rash. Although, he felt he should be the one to overreact in this kind of situation.

"Gokudera…it's alright." Tsuna assured the bomber, as he slowly took the dynamite out of his friend's hands. Gokudera allowed the tenth to do so. "But I do want to know, why did you kiss me?"

Gokudera looked into Tsuna's eyes when he asked this. He couldn't give him the truth. If the tenth didn't understand his feelings through the kiss, then perhaps it wasn't meant to be. Maybe, if he admitted to it being stupid, then Tsuna would forgive him and continue to be his friend. He didn't want his actions to meddle with their friendship. "I kissed you because I'm an idiot. Just forget that it happened…I wasn't thinking at all."

"I see." Tsuna found himself getting really disappointed by the bomber's answer. Before Gokudera could catch on to his own dissatisfaction, Tsuna smiled, erasing any sign of negativity. Nonetheless, he was happy that Gokudera had not hurt himself, it was bad enough that Hibari was going around beating up his friends, he didn't need them going suicidal. Tsuna looked into the other's emerald eyes. "Well, I'm glad that you are alright."

_But…we still have a long way to go. Till we learn to value ourselves. _The brunette thought to himself as he gazed to Gokudera fondly. Even though, he was trying to reprimand Gokudera for thinking less of himself, Tsuna still felt that he was unworthy of Gokudera's care. And so, Tsuna learned a lot about himself. He too had to consider the effect his life had on Gokudera and his friends. His life was not his own possession, like he had first thought, but rather, it was something shared with all the people he came in contact with. And if he were to disappear, he was sure the friends and acquaintances that he had made would be affected. The simple thought of it made him feel content.

"How is that baseball idiot?" Gokudera reluctantly asked.

Tsuna was surprised that Gokudera was inquiring about Yamamoto. Usually, the terrorist wanted nothing to do with him. But from Gokudera's inquiry, the brunette believed that Gokudera was concerned over their comrade's well being. Thinking optimistically, he felt that the bomber was slowly getting along with Yamamoto. "He's as cheerful as ever but his injuries look bad. He may be there for a while."

"Yes!" Was the silver haired bomber's triumphant cry.

"Gokudera-san!" Tsuna exclaimed incredulously, surprised by the glee conveyed by his friend upon hearing of Yamamoto's condition. However, Tsuna ended up reprimanding himself. _But then again, I should have known he would act like that…_

Although Gokudera was sure he would be going to hell for finding pleasure in someone else's misfortune; he didn't care. All he cared about was that his time with Tsuna would not be interrupted by the baseball nut and the boxer half wit. Even if it was a short period of time, that was all Gokudera needed. Because even in that short span of time, the brunette would always manage to capture his heart ever more.

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For two full hours, Tsuna soaked in the bath. There was a lot on his mind; most of it was trying to figure out what was going on with him. Ever since he came to this school, everything has been so strange. Recently, he has been so confused by everyone else's actions towards him. He wondered what kind of force caused his friends to kiss him, and even more so why he hadn't stopped them. It was all so perplexing to him, since no one ever cared to talk to him in middle school. He had been a social outcast for a very long time and to be suddenly be given this type of affection was like culture shock. And it seemed as if all of these incidents were only happening to him! Why him?!

He sighed heavily as he peered into the water. He needed to stop thinking so much; he didn't even do this much pondering when he did his math homework. He stepped out of the water and went towards the changing room. He gathered his things, got dressed and tried to get out of his runt. Maybe the answers that he sought would reveal themselves with time, or maybe he was being tested by some divine figure. Tsuna didn't know whether some spiritual figure was guiding him, or the devil was leading him astray but whatever reason it was, he had to try to be positive.

As he left the steamy shower room, he felt as if he had walked into another. The hallways leading back to his room were covered in a thick haze. The brunette could not even see the other end of the hallway from where he stood. He pursed his lips, knowing who was responsible for this. While Tsuna was contemplating on whether or not he should walk into the mist and greet the delinquent, a shadow loomed behind him. Suddenly, arms wrapped around the freshman's body from behind, making the brunette jump with a fright. Tsuna released himself from the other's grip and whirled around to see who had grabbed him.

Standing in front of him in his own alterations of the Namimori school uniform was Mukuro. His heterochromatic gaze leered at the freshman up and down shamelessly and a mischievous grin donned his face. "Did I scare you, Tsunayoshi?"

"Mukuro…"Tsuna looked to the grinning delinquent. He should have known that the illusionist would try to trick him and he was mad at himself for getting duped so easily. However, Tsuna wasn't in the right state of mind to deal with the illusionist. The brunette just wanted to be left alone. He frowned at the midnight haired demon, "I'm not in the mood."

Mukuro shrugged his shoulders, it really didn't matter to him if Tsuna wanted his company or not, there were other poor souls roaming about. He could have his kicks somewhere else without effort. Yet, despite his indifference to Tsuna's attitude, he still started to entice the other. Tsuna was just way more fun to play with. "Fine…I'll leave you alone but there has been this one thing that has been bothering me. Dreams…"

Tsuna tensed as he repeated the heterochromatic illusionist. "Dreams?"

"As a matter of fact, a few nights ago…I was just wandering about and I came upon this delicious scene." Mukuro pressed his grin widening.

"Scene?" The brunette questioned, trying to play dumb but it wasn't working. He could already tell what kind of dreams, the illusionist was indicating.

The dark haired upperclassmen purred, "Yes, with a certain petite brunette withering underneath someone that looked a lot like me."

The cat was out of the bag and the blush on Tsuna's face was evident that the information that Mukuro revealed was true. But the brunette continued to deny it. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Mukuro moved towards Tsuna, closing the distance between them. The brunette looked towards the haze for a way to escape, but decided to back himself up against a wall instead of braving the mist. Either way, no option looked good. He ended up being pinned up against the wall by Mukuro, who obstructed his pathway to freedom with his body. The way the illusionist looked at him as made Tsuna think twice about his decision. The danger was not the mist but the demon in front of him. Sometimes, Tsuna cursed his own stupidity. The illusionist then continued to coax Tsuna with his velvety voice. "If I knew you missed me that much…I would have been happy to oblige you."

"It's a reoccurring nightmare of mine." Tsuna stubbornly replied, trying to ignore the delinquent in front of him.

"Oya oya. So you dream of this sort of thing often?" Mukuro questioned, making him more interested than before. He wondered how long the brunette had been having these dreams and how often did he dream of him?

The blood rushed to the freshman's cheeks, glowing a bright red hue he continued to deny his fantasies of Mukuro. "That's not what I meant!" Tsuna cried.

"Yes, it must be nightmarish having to resort to dreams to feel satisfied." Mukuro laughed at this new information.

"You're terrible. You're twisting my words around." Tsuna frowned, knowing he would be mocked by the other.

Not only was this whole affair amusing but it also made everything a lot easier for Mukuro. He had planned to ambush Tsuna and make him submit to him but with this new information, it wouldn't be hard at all for the brunette to surrender. The seed was already planted within the small boy and all he needed to do was nurture it into a plentiful flower of opportunity.

"Well, you're not being very honest with yourself. There has to be a reason for those dreams. Perhaps, your body knows you better than yourself. It knows what it wants." Mukuro presumed.

_I'm not being honest with myself_. Tsuna repeated Mukuro's words to himself, those words seemed possible to Tsuna. Maybe he had been lying to himself the whole time and that was why he had been feeling confused and dreaming of the delinquent. He wanted to believe in the delinquent's words, but he also didn't trust them for good reason. Mukuro was not a bad person despite his malicious actions. Tsuna figured that the illusionist could be saying this to be cruel and if he believed them he would be a fool. "But…" He started.

"And those two couldn't give you the answer that you wanted." Mukuro continued to entice the brunette with his appealing words. The delinquent had witnessed what occurred between Tsuna and his two friends. Mukuro knew something was up with Tsuna, the freshman had taken two full hours in the shower, and afterwards, the brunette had seemed to be in another world. It also didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that his friends played a major role in his mystification. He considered that the other people that Tsuna had interacted with played a part too, including himself. And that was all he needed to make the other waver under his words. He watched as the freshman slowly began to consider his words and believe them. The brunette looked to him so full of hope and so trusting, but Mukuro was guiltless in his deception. He slowly ran a hand up, Tsuna's body up to his neck and stopping at the boy's face. His fingertips caressed the other's jaw line, willing his mouth to part ever so slightly. He whispered smoothly as he swooped down to take his prize, "In your darkest of hearts, what is it that you truly want, Tsunayoshi Sawada?"

"What I want is…?" Tsuna said so softly that it sounded like a whisper. The coldness of Mukuro's gloves against his skin, the powerful grip that the illusionist held him, the way those crimson and cerulean eyes bored into him, and the seductiveness of the other's voice withered away at the brunette restraint. He found himself being totally captivated with other, and although he knew that the other's actions and words were false, he couldn't help but be enthralled. His mind was filled with the possibilities of the other's words. Did Mukuro really know what he wanted? Was it really in the illusionist's power to give it to him? Could he see what no one else could? Did he really know him? His mind was screaming yes because it had been fooled and his body followed in the same pattern.

He allowed Mukuro to lean into him. Everything slowed to a crawl, making it seem like it took an eternity for Mukuro to reach his lips. The brunette's mouth quivered just a bit in anticipation. Tsuna wanted to be touched in the way that only Mukuro could deliver. Mukuro had the key to soothe all his distress, and Tsuna was sure that the illusionist wouldn't judge him if he did indulged in his dark desires. The illusionist would help him explore that part of the heart that he dare not venture. He would finally find his satisfaction, even if it took the form of lust.

Tsuna froze as that thought process passed his mind. Lust?! The idea didn't feel right to him, and that couldn't be what he really wanted. What he had been thinking was wrong? There was nothing alluring about his thoughts; they didn't speak to him or for him. Before, Tsuna could fully succumb to Mukuro; he turned his face away so that the illusionist could not kiss him. The brunette then said with poise. "What I want is to go to bed."

Tsuna separated himself from Mukuro and thought that it would be safer for him to leave now than to yell at the illusionist for trying to deceive him. It would do nothing and he was partly at fault for allowing the delinquent to hoodwink him. He started his march through the mist, trying not to look back at the smirking illusionist.

Mukuro watched Tsuna make a run for it and he called after. "Off to dream more of me?"

Tsuna paused in his step. For a moment, his mind battled on whether or not he should reply. The brunette was considering continuing forward, but that would be very cowardly. If he denied Mukuro's allegation, then he would be falling into the other's trap again. He had made a promise that he would prove to Mukuro that he would come to like him despite the efforts of the illusionist to make Tsuna despise him. For this reason, Tsuna had to put more effort into befriending the delinquent. He sighed, turning back to the grinning demon who was awaiting his reply. "Yes…I will dream of you because I made a promise. I want to become friends with you, Mukuro. I want to prove to you that even the hated, can be liked. Although, it's over something as embarrassing as dreaming of you…it has relieved me. Dreaming of you has made you come out of hiding and now I know…that you are alright."

Mukuro found himself smiling at this. Either, Tsuna was very optimistic or very stupid but either way he was intrigued. Although, Tsuna had so much hope in converting Mukuro into his friend, the delinquent knew that it could never happened. Both of them lived in different worlds, endured diverse experiences, and had contrasting mentalities. He knew that he could never be a part of Tsuna's illuminated world and the brunette could never be a part of his blackened one. However, he had no problem playing along with him. "Well then, sweet dreams Tsunayoshi-kun. I'll try to be gentle tonight."

Tsuna blushed at his comment and he tried to not let it get to him, but it did. He stuttered. "G-good night, M-mukuro."

Chapter Twelve End

Omake- Mukuro Foreshadowing

Mukuro: Kufufu. Looks like the rating of this fanfiction is going to go up soon.

Tsuna: Why do you say that?

Mukuro: Because the more I show up, the harder it is for the authoress to keep this fanfic PG.

Tsuna: **confused **what does that mean exactly?

Mukuro: Tsunayoshi-kun, you are so naïve. As you know, I'm a deviant of many things.

Tsuna: Of what kinds of things?

Mukuro: **grins** lots of things. Would you like me to inform you of them?

Tsuna: **smiles** Sure. I would like to know more about you, Mukuro.

Later that same day….

Tsuna: Gokudera?

Gokudera: Yes, tenth!

Tsuna: Can I ask you a question?

Gokudera: Sure, anything you want, tenth!

Tsuna: **blushes **well….what's an omnisexual?

Gokudera: …………………………………………… **shocked beyond belief**

Tsuna: Ah…Gokudera? Did I say something wrong?

Omake end – Kufufufu…

Omake Note – An Omnisexual or Pansexual is someone who doesn't use gender to identify their sexual orientation. They can be attracted to any sex and sometimes objects, phrases/ideals, animals and places. If you would like to find out more, look it up on Wikipedia or watch Torchwood

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Author's note: I hoped you liked this chapter. Although Shamal made a special appearance, I felt that Gokudera's self worth need to be discussed and worked on. Next chapter is Ryohei's, the tentative title will be "Ryohei the Unpredictable" which may take me ages to write but I do have the plot in my head. After Ryohei's chapter the format will go back to normal signified by Tsuna's name taking over the title of the chapters. Probably soon, the other characters will get their own chapters. So look forward to that. Thank you for reading this chapter and my previous chapters as well. Please review my work to show your love because Tsuna shouldn't be the only one to receive it. Also suggestions are welcome as long as there are good intentions behind them. Thank you Mithras151 for checking this chapter!!!


	13. Ryohei the Unpredictable

Hungry for Tsuna

A Katekyo Hitman Reborn Fanfiction

Disclaimer: Katekyo Hitman Reborn belongs to Akira Amano

Edited by Mithras151: June 28, 2009

Chapter Summary: Tsuna is having a bad day and Ryohei is not making it any better.

Chapter Thirteen: Ryohei the Unpredictable

As promised, Ryohei had made an extreme recovery. It didn't take the boxer long to get back on his feet. The medical assistants were rather impressed by how fast his health had improved and Yamamoto laughed, saying something about sharing his secret. However, there was no secret. Ryohei's body healed fast only because it couldn't be a hindrance. The reason why he trained so hard, beyond all limits, was because he had to stay strong. Staying in a sick bed didn't suit him either. He had to be moving and this inner restlessness helped push the boxer to better health.

But the result of his swift recovery was due to the boxer's greatest motivation. Every day Tsuna would come in to visit him and Yamamoto. Even though, Tsuna tried to present himself in high spirits, the boxer saw right through the freshman's facade. He knew that Tsuna was very concerned about their condition. So, to spare Tsuna from worrying about him, Ryohei did everything in his power to get back on his feet sooner. If he could relieve Tsuna, then it would be worth it.

So the boxer was once again released in to the halls of Namimori, much to Gokudera's chagrin. It didn't take long for the boxer's life to get back in order. As a matter of fact, he had to make up for the time he lost by training even harder than usual. Colonello, the school's Spartan gym teacher, made sure he didn't slack off one bit. Day and night he trained according to impossible demands. Still, no accomplishments in his training could ever compare to the way Tsuna reacted when he found the boxer roaming the halls once again.

"_Sasagawa-san? You've recovered." Tsuna said, happily._

"_Un. I told you I would make an extreme recovery."_

"_Why couldn't you be in an extreme coma?" Gokudera said in the background, turning his nose up in disgust._

"_Hey! What was that, tako-head?!" The boxer retorted._

_Tsuna touched, Ryohei arm to gain back his attention. Gokudera had angered him slightly_, _but as soon as the brunette touched his arm, he forgot the reason why he was so heated. The boxer turned to Tsuna and was totally captivated by the warm eyes the other fixed only on him. He watched intently as the smaller boy's lips curved into a gentle smile. "I'm so glad."_

And that was all Tsuna had needed to say. Ever since that day, his mind had been replaying that scene over and over again_._ The boxer didn't find himself getting tired of it either. Rather, the imagery of it increased every time he thought of it. He would notice certain things that would have been totally oblivious to him before the interaction. For instance, the way the light hit Tsuna on his left side, or how crisp his white shirt was that day, or even how the freshman's fingers curled around the curve of his arm magnified the beauty of the moment. Ryohei was never this meticulous in his observation. His mind usually went a mile a minute, and usually what plagued his thoughts was how more extreme he could be and how to make that possible.

Most of his life was training to become stronger, so that he would never lose. His driving force had always been his little sister. Ever since they were kids, Ryohei had been targeted by the older kids making bouts with them were an everyday occurrence. He made sure he never lost to them, because he knew that his little sister would be waiting to walk home with her older brother. However, losing to a kid half their age became too much for his much older opponents. Instead of letting by gones be by gones, they vouched for revenge. One tragic day, a group of upperclassmen held his little sister captive and coaxed him into a fight. Ryohei accepted, already knowing the outcome. But it was the only way he could make sure that his sister was safe. He lost to the older kids and gained the scar near his right eye. Since then, Kyoko had always hated fighting because she could only remember how much her brother was hurt that time.

Even though he knew about his sister's aversion to violence, it couldn't suppress his fighting spirit. He continued to engage in fights but as to not to worry Kyoko, he made sure he grew in strength to defeat any opponent that came his way. Through years of fighting and hiding his wounds from his sister, he managed to find the secret to great strength. Being Extreme…all of the time! And this was how Ryohei gained his motto of "Extreme"; it was only at this level that he could not lose. Surpassing his own potential and fighting as if there was no tomorrow managed to awaken the sleeping lion within him. Unconsciously, Tsuna became his driving force to a speedy recovery. He managed to recover faster than what the doctors expected. Although, Ryohei didn't think of it much at the moment, he was just so ecstatic that he could go back to training. However, it had been his serendipitous meeting of the freshman in the hallway that had made him realize the effect the brunette had on him.

As he jogged extremely to his morning of his classes, he thought of this. Extremely perplexed by how much his mind revolved around the brunette. He had considered Tsuna as a friend. Almost like a little brother, even. But now, he wasn't sure if his feelings were as platonic as he suspected. Perhaps, he liked Tsuna as more than a friend, or even a sibling. Maybe, this foreign feeling Ryohei received whenever his mind projected an image of Tsuna meant something more. But what was this feeling?! Why was he feeling this way?! And why was he feeling this way about Tsuna?! Frustrated by his own thoughts, the boxer roared. "I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND IT, TO THE EXTREME!"

The boxing fanatic's outburst gained him the attention of the busy hall. The hustle and bustle of the hallways were usually full of groggy students, sluggishly making their trip to class but now, the hall was silent and dozens of eyes were focused on the distressed boxer. Slowly, Ryohei calmed down and as soon as this was assessed, the students went back to their original state of sloth.

"You seem a bit confused, sweetie." The Muay Thai specialist came from behind the boxer. Just like everyone else in the hall, he had witnessed the athlete's outburst but unlike the other students who ignored the boxer, Lussuria's interest was piqued. Ryohei was always energetic but he wondered what the source of the other's frustration was. Lussuria was dying to find out this hot piece of gossip.

"Oh, it's the gay guy." Ryohei greeted the familiar face.

Lussuria smiled that the boxer recognized him and then he questioned. "So why are you so rambunctious this fine morning?"

Half listening to the other's words, Ryohei was in his own whirlwind of contemplation. Suddenly, he decided to ask Lussuria, the meaning of his feelings for Tsuna. Maybe he would know what he was feeling. "Hey! You like guys, to the extreme, right?"

"Only if they have a hot body. I have standards, you know." Lussuria agreed.

"Well, how is it like to…to like a guy?!" Ryohei asked without any shame.

There was a pause and after mulling over the boxer's words, he answered. "Are you hitting on me?"

"No! I want to know if I like Sawada!" He admitted strongly.

"Sawada Tsunayoshi?" Lussuria questioned, the name rung a bell.

"Un." Ryohei nodded his head.

_All I hear is about this Tsunayoshi kid. Isn't Xanxus-sama going after the same person? I wonder if he knows that Tsuna has so many suitors. _Lussuria thought to himself. The Muay Thai fighter was wondering if he should betray the vice president and help Ryohei. Although, he was loyal to Xanxus, he decided to help the boxer because it seemed like Ryohei _really_ needed the help. Plus, Xanxus was still in denial.

"Well?!" The boxer pressed impatiently. Ryohei looked to the other, intently; waiting for the neon green haired student to give him his wisdom. "What does it feel like to like a guy?!"

Lussuria laughed at Ryohei. He couldn't help it. The boxing fanatic's words sounded ridiculous and shameful, but it was as if the boxer wasn't asking such a difficult question. "Well…you should be able to answer that question better than I can, Hun."

The slight blush on his cheeks was proof that the brunette had affected him in that way. The mere thought of him would set him aflame in the worst way. It was a sentiment that the boxer could not describe. And even his fists were unable to translate the feeling for him…for once, these tools of his, were useless.

Lussuria smiled, watching the boxer's cheeks gain a pinkish hue. It was kind of cute but that was beside the point. He offered his advice. "You should tell them how you feel."

"Tell them how I feel?!" The white haired upperclassmen recited incredulously. After thinking of Tsuna this much, he had never thought of going to the brunette and settling these weird feelings. It had never occurred to the boxer that he had that option. And it wasn't his style to hold anything in. He had no problem expressing his other feelings but when it came to something like this…he was at a lost. He looked to Lussuria expectantly. "What should I do?"

"Well, since you're an 'extreme' guy. The best way to sort out your feelings is by action. You're not good at words but you're the type where your actions speak volumes. I can help you with that." Lussuria said knowledgably.

Ryohei was so thankful that someone could help him. "Really?!" The boxer asked, excited.

"Of course, sweetie. It'll give me a good excuse to skip class. History's such a bore." Lussuria replied, already gathering a plan in his head.

* * *

Tsuna walked out of the lecture building with a distraught expression. He failed another exam, and though this was a regular occurrence for the freshman, he was still kind of embarrassed that he flunked an exam on his own native language, Japanese. It was a language that he used every day of his life, and even then, he managed to mess up. The brunette felt as if he had failed his people, his country, and even himself. Even the students from foreign countries did way better than he did, and that was an insult. The brunette ultimately felt that he would be "No Good Tsuna" for the rest of life, a failure culturally, academically, and physically.

Gokudera had tried to cheer him up with his passionate encouragements, but he didn't feel like listening to a person who easily got a hundred on all his exams. Not that he was mad at Gokudera for being smart, he just felt as if the silver haired bomber was mocking him. Tsuna knew this was not true, and he was only attacking Gokudera because he was upset with himself. Where was Yamamoto when he needed him? Usually, the baseball fanatic would be there at the bottom of the class with him. It was comforting to know that someone failed as badly at academics as he did. But, even with Yamamoto, the brunette was fooling himself. Yamamoto only received low grades because he never studied, but when he did, he got pretty high scores. Tsuna on the other hand did not benefit from studying. He was just dumb.

Then, as if his day could not have gotten any worse, the brunette paused as he felt a slight tremor. His eyes widen as the vibration grew stronger. He looked around to the other students around him and saw that they were also startled by the shaking of the ground. Could it be an earthquake? Earthquakes were pretty common in Japan and so he wouldn't be surprised if they were experiencing one now. However, his deduction was proven wrong by the booming yell he heard in the distance. The brunette turned to the source of the sound to see a familiar white-haired boxer charging in his direction. "SAWADA!"

His tawny eyes widen as he began to notice the larger picture. The source of the noise and the shaking of the ground were not only from the boxer but, it was applied to the thing that was trailing behind the boxing fanatic.

"Sawada! I brought you flowers!" Ryohei came up to him, giving him a large branch. The brunette's eyes trailed from that single branch to the enormous tree that it was still attached to it. The freshman assumed that the upperclassmen had torn the tree from his roots and dragged it to him. Scared and awed by Ryohei's great strength, looked at the "flowers" that the other have given to him and tried not to run for his life.

_No...What you have there is a tree, Sasagawa-san. _Tsuna said to himself, not wanting his snide comment to hurt the boxer's feelings. He then slowly smiled, but every muscle in his body tried to hold it in place. "That's very nice of you, Sasagawa-san. But, I'm allergic to those kinds of flowers."

"Oh…" Ryohei replied, disappointingly. And he thought that Tsuna would really like them, too.

"Achoo!" Due to the direct contact of the pollen, Tsuna already got into a fit of sneezes and coughs. And he used his need for anti-histamines to get him out of this horrifying situation. Thanking god that his bad luck had given him allergies.

* * *

Tsuna had searched high to low, east to west, from building to building but he couldn't find it. The brunette released an aggravated groan as he turned everything in his room upside down but he could not find it. Mysteriously, his meal card had disappeared, and without it, he would be unable to eat. Of course, he could get another one, but he didn't want to be harassed by the Disciplinary Committee for his insolence. He sighed heavily, losing hope. He would never find it. He left his room, trying to figure out where he could have misplaced it. Unbeknownst to him, Lussuria had stolen his meal card during P.E. class. The brunette leaned on a wall, feeling his angry stomach yelling at him to feed it.

"So hungry…" Tsuna muttered.

"Sawada!" Sasagawa roared from the end of the hallway.

Tsuna's tawny eyes turned to the energetic athlete that was running towards him. "Sasagawa-san?" The freshman questioned. He had seen Ryohei awfully a lot today and usually when he saw the other, something weird would happen afterwards. Tsuna braced himself for the next surprised that Ryohei had brought him.

"I made you lunch!" The boxer presented Tsuna with a black bento box.

"For me?" The brunette asked and he watched as the boxer confirmed this by nodding his head and nudging him to accept it. Reluctantly, the freshman did. He carefully handled the box, afraid that one slip would result in some sort of explosion. Tsuna also took much care in gently opening the box, partially using the top of the bento as a shield. After a few moments of stalling, Tsuna realized that Ryohei's bento was not about to explode or ooze toxic waste. "Thank you so much!"

The bento was neatly packed and sectioned. The bigger portion of the lunch was the white rice. Above the rice were three separate compartments holding a variety of sides. At the upper right corner held three small rolls of tamagoyaki [1]. In the middle compartment, were the ever common wiener octopuses and in the last section were a few slices of sautéed vegetables.

_It looks normal enough. _Tsuna thought to himself as he took a bite of it. At first, nothing happened but gradually the freshman's mouth begun to burn and sizzle. His eyes widened and he shrieked. "Water! Water!"

Six gallons of water later…

"But I thought, Sawada would like my Extreme Hot Sauce." The boxer said innocently. He thought the brunette would like his hot sauce, but unfortunately, he had found that the other was bad with spicy foods. His mouth was too sensitive to the spices; although most of the ingredients in Ryohei's hot sauce were outlawed in twenty countries.

"The point of giving him lunch was to extinguish his hunger not set fire to his mouth, dear." Lussuria sighed heavily. What was with this guy? He was getting simple courting practices all wrong. Lussuria began to wonder if it was truly a good idea to help Ryohei; it seemed as if the boxer were torturing the poor brunette more than trying to convey his feelings for him.

"But it tastes better when your mouth is burning, to the extreme!" Ryohei interjected.

Lussuria raised an eyebrow, "Do you even have any taste buds left?"

* * *

After overhearing that Tsuna's homeroom teacher was assigning a book report to the whole class, Lussuria set his last plan in order. The place would be the library, since the brunette would have to go there to select a book, and secondly, it made it a lot easily to ensnare the brunette with this delicious plan he had cooked up. He just hoped that Ryohei wouldn't mess up this plan like all the others.

"Well, Tsu-kun has to fall for this one." Lussuria sighed, thinking that the boxer was hopeless. Every last attempt they had tried had been an utter failure. And though his plans were beautiful and flawless, Ryohei had somehow messed it up by going to extremes. "If not then he's straight and there's no hope for you."

"What?" Ryohei asked, not hearing the flamboyant student correctly.

"Oh nothing." Lussuria smiled innocently. In the corner of his eye, he spotted Tsuna's wild hair and ran off to hide. "Here he comes."

The brunette walked into the library bewildered. It was the first time that he entered such a place since meeting Gokudera, and he had never set foot into one again. In his old school, Tsuna had had bad luck with libraries. It was the best place for the bullies to steal his lunch money, or sometimes, it would be his refuge, when he was about to be beaten up because he didn't give up his lunch money. Either way, his library experiences had never been the best. It was because of this reason that Tsuna feared what would happen upon his entrance to newly established library, due to the other one being damaged.

"Why do we have to do a report?" Tsuna sighed, hating his teacher for assigning a book report. Didn't he know it hurt too much to read? The freshman carefully took out a red book that looked to be of interest, but as he did, the case began to wobble hazardously.

His eyes shifted to the top of the bookshelf and watched as the case began to fall toward him. The brunette's eyes widen as he stood there glued to the floor. "Ah! Did I do that?" He squeaked, thinking that his bad luck was flaring up again.

"Sawada!" Tsuna only heard the other's booming voice and the other's body pushing against his before he was tackled to the floor with a thud. The bookshelf crashed into another but it had not harmed Tsuna or Ryohei. For a few moments, Tsuna stood still as he felt Ryohei's heart pumping against his own panicked heart. The brunette's eyes shot open realizing that the boxer was on top of him, cradling his body. "Are you okay?"

"Sasagawa-san…" Breathed the freshman as he slowly got a hold of what had just transpired. Had Ryohei rescued him? His eyes looked up into worrisome grey eyes of the white haired upperclassmen. He smiled softly and opened his mouth to assured the boxer but he stopped cold, when a sharp sting caught his attention. Tsuna's tawny eyes trailed down his entangled body with the boxer and the rip of his uniform pant came to his eye. Somehow, he had scraped his knee during the rescue.

Ryohei's gray eyes had followed Tsuna's line of sight and when he came upon the wound that Tsuna was given, he panicked.

"Sawada! You're bleeding!" The boxing fanatic exclaimed. That was not part of the plan that Lussuria and himself constructed. Tsuna was supposed to unharmed. He had messed up and badly. Now, Tsuna's life was in danger and he was going to bleed to death!

"It's only a small scratch." Tsuna reassured Ryohei, inspecting the graze on his knee. It really wasn't anything serious. He was sure if he placed a band-aid on it, it will heal in a couple of days.

"Someone call an ambulance!" The boxer screamed in urgency.

_It's not that serious!_ Tsuna thought in his mind, appalled by the frantic boxer's display. Ryohei was almost as bad as Gokudera when he got a paper cut. Except, the boxer wasn't damning paper and the very trees they originated from. Tsuna touched the boxer's arm bringing him back to earth. "It's a small scratch, Sasagawa-san. There's no need to call the paramedics for such a small thing."

Suddenly, the brunette was gathered into the other's arms and lifted into the air effortless. The blood rushed to Tsuna's face as he realized that the boxer held him above the floor, bridal style. Ryohei then said sternly, "Then let me take care of it."

"O-okay!" He wasn't going to argue with someone who could pick him up like he weighed as much as a feather. The brunette blushed even more as he realized that everyone's eyes were on them, watching as the boxer carried him out of the library. However, one face that stuck out to Tsuna the most was Lussuria's. Not only was the person oddly dressed but he could see a face of both accomplishment and envy. And Tsuna wondered what Ryohei and he had done to warrant such a gaze. The brunette didn't allow it to get to him too much, since he was too embarrassed by the whole situation.

Tsuna watched as Ryohei tended to his wound. Despite, how boisterous the boxer normally was, Ryohei was actually being serious and quiet. The brunette observed as the other's hands that had been harden from his intense training, lightly touched his skin with a gentleness that Tsuna had thought the other lacked. And even then, Ryohei's eyes weren't glaring with some great flame of intensity but rather, had a soft light of concern. Shockingly, Ryohei was actually being un-extreme. And it was this somber mood that Tsuna realized that there was more to Ryohei than his extremeness. The upperclassman was quite placid.

The brunette's eyes then wandered away from Ryohei, feeling embarrassed for staring at the other for so long. For the most part, Ryohei's room was pretty clean…for a teenage boy. His eyes feel upon trophies, medals and other sporting achievements. There was even training equipment in one corner of the room. The brunette noticed Ryohei's signature boxing gloves on his desk. He also noticed the upperclassmen's school books sitting at the far end of the desk, catching dust. His eyes then fell on a picture of a younger Ryohei and a very cute little girl next to him, which he assumed was Ryohei's younger sister. He looked at the two siblings playing at the beach together and it seemed as if the two were inseparable.

Tsuna then turned back to Ryohei, who was now carefully wrapping a bandage around his knee. He then wondered how Ryohei had learned to do first aid. "Sasagawa-san, where did you learn to do this? Did you take a class?"

The boxer shook his head, his eyes concentrating on making sure the bandage was wrapped properly. He answered. "More like experience."

"Experience?" Tsuna inquired further. Already, Tsuna was imagining what he meant by experience. Perhaps, his little sister would always get into these dangerous situations and before his parents came home, he would fix the injuries. If Kyoko was anything like her brother, then Tsuna could only guess this was true.

"Un. I used to get into a lot of fights when I was younger and so that I didn't worry my little sister. I started to learn how to treat my own injuries." He said, this time looking up at Tsuna. Wondering how the brunette would absorb this information. Would he hate him for his troubled past?

"You sound like an awesome older brother." Tsuna smiled. Although, he didn't agree with fighting, he felt that there had to be a reason why Ryohei did it. And the petite freshman could not overlook Ryohei's concern over his little sister about finding out his secret. Lacking a better word to describe what he thought, he considered the boxer's actions very sweet. "But it must be hard to hide such things from her."

Ryohei didn't want to hide things from his sister, but causing her worry weighed more than the truth. Like Sawada, he couldn't stand that pained look of guilt, sadness, and worry. He wanted to see them both smiling happily, as if nothing had happened. He knew he shouldn't hide it from her but what else was he to do?

Tsuna noticed Ryohei's damper. He didn't have a younger sibling, so he couldn't tell if what Ryohei was doing was right or wrong. However, he was sure Ryohei knew what was best. He then thought of something.

"Sasagawa-san, was that why you recovered so quickly? You didn't want to make me worry?" The brunette asked. He had been wondering about the other's quick recovery for quite some time. Although, he was glad that Ryohei was better, he didn't want the boxer to push himself.

The boxer gazed at Tsuna surprisingly, wondering how the other had found out. He then admitted, "I didn't want you to worry about me! I wanted to see your smile again!"

"Is my smile that important to you?" Tsuna questioned, looking up at Ryohei.

Ryohei nodded. Tsuna's smile was important to him. He had said once that the brunette's smile had reminded him of his sister's smile, but after spending more time with the brunette, he had realized it was much different from his sibling's. Tsuna's smile was much brighter. There was a kind of warmth to his smile, a warmth that had touched his soul numerous times.

"I see…that explains all the things you were doing today." Tsuna replied thoughtfully. Ryohei abandoned his thoughts at the sound of this revelation. It seemed as if the brunette understood the reason he had been going through such lengths. Finally the brunette would know how much he extremely liked him! "How did you know that I was having such a bad day?"

Ryohei couldn't contain his confusion, "Huh?!"

Tsuna looked at the upperclassmen, perplexedly. He then explained, "Well, I thought the flowers, the lunch and even saving me, were to cheer me up."

"Well…actually, Sawada…" Ryohei began to correct Tsuna.

"I appreciate it." Tsuna beamed gratefully at the boxer.

Ryohei swallowed the words he had been about to say. Deciding that it was best not to say them, he refused to ruin the moment. After all, Tsuna was telling him that his efforts today were appreciated, and that alone satisfied him. He just couldn't tell Sawada about how he felt. That would be extremely dumb of him.

Shyness getting the better of him, the brunette brought his attention to his hands. He watched intently as he entwined his fingers together. Slowly, he began to verbalize the reasoning behind his gratitude. "Healing yourself so quickly and even to go through such lengths to make me happy, I really do appreciate everything you have done for me. Today was so terrible. Nothing seemed to go my way and kept getting worse. However, throughout the day…you would come up to me delivering some sort of surprise. At first, I was confused by what you were doing. Maybe even a little scared. But now I know you were doing these things for my benefit. Even now, just talking to you…has made me incredibly happy."

Tsuna was really happy to talk to Ryohei on the same level. Today, he had gained a better understanding of the boxer. He wasn't as rambunctious as he had first perceived, but was instead very kind. The freshman paused in his speech, looking away from his hands and to Ryohei. He then smiled once. "It's almost as if the sun has chased the rain clouds away."

"Sawada." Ryohei said quietly. He didn't know how to take such pleasant words. He was so used to ridicule from others that he didn't know how to accept Tsuna's compliments. He then brushed off the feeling of blood rushing to his cheeks and shouted, "It was nothing, Sawada!"

"Thank you for everything, Sasagawa-san. It really helped me." The brunette said as he got up from Ryohei's bed and giving a slight bow of thanks to the upperclassmen before walking towards the door. Tsuna felt as if he was imposing on the other. Ryohei had done so many things for him and he didn't want to burden the boxing fanatic any further. Tsuna called back to Ryohei, as he opened the door. "I must be getting in your way. I'll see you later."

"See ya!" The boxer replied as he watched Tsuna leave his room. He waited a few moments before sighing heavily to himself. Now how was he going to tell Tsuna that he liked him? Although the brunette greatly appreciated his actions, Tsuna still didn't know how Ryohei felt about him. The boxer was at the brink of extreme depression, when he heard a familiar voice.

"What are you doing?!" The voice inquired.

The boxer took a second to look around the room and then he spotted Lussuria, sitting outside of his window. "Gay guy?" He questioned.

"Are you just going to let him leave like that? Go get him!" The flamboyant student ordered.

Not even questioning how the Muay Thai fighter got on his windowsill, he ran off after Tsuna. Ryohei raced down the hallway in search of the brunette. After sprinting extremely down several flights of stairs, the boxing fanatic spotted the freshman. "Sawada!" He roared, getting the other's attention.

Tsuna jumped at the booming voice. His tawny eyes looked over his shoulder as he watched Ryohei race towards him. By the way Ryohei was acting, the brunette began to wonder if something had happened. As the boxer got within arm's reach, Tsuna started to ask, "Sasagawa-san…what's wrong?"

Ryohei inhaled deeply as he stood in front of the petite freshman. He looked down at Tsuna, who was curiously looking back at him. Here was his final chance to show Tsuna his feelings for him. It was now or never. He couldn't mess this up. The boxer's hands reached out from the brunette and then rested on each side of Tsuna's face, caressing the smaller boy's soft skin. Ryohei could slightly feel the brunette's cheeks heat up from this small contact. Tsuna was blushing as red as a tomato, his eyes unwavering from the athlete before him.

"Sasagawa-san? What are you do-?" The brunette began to question as he watched his friend lean towards him. But before Tsuna could finish his question, Ryohei had already muted him by sealing his lips with a kiss. The brunette was shocked at first, but this had happened to him so many times before. However, Tsuna just never expected it to be Ryohei. Unconsciously, he just stood as stiff as a board but soon, Tsuna began to be coaxed by the sunny-side of the other's touch. It was as if the warmth of the sun had graced his lips, coasting down his throat to his toes. He relaxed against Ryohei's strong body, allowing the upperclassmen to bequeath him with his affections.

Although, Ryohei seized the opportunity to kiss Tsuna, he didn't have the slightest clue on what he was doing. He had never kissed anyone before. So, Ryohei had no idea of the mechanics that went into the kissing but this didn't stop him. Ryohei just followed his heart, which was telling him to place more pressure on the brunette's bottom lip. This slight change made a strangled moan come from the smaller boy. Very excited, that he had done something right, he increased the intensity of the kiss, causing the brunette's mouth to open slightly. The strong athlete's hands slipped down from Tsuna's face and found the freshman's slender waist, bringing the smaller boy's body closer to his own. Ryohei's kiss was sucking the breath from his lungs, but Tsuna ignored the slight burning sensation in his chest. The boxer had touched a spot that made him want more. Tsuna's toes curled at the feel of both Ryohei's body against his and the boxer's lips delivering him to euphoria. The brunette unconsciously grabbed onto the front of Ryohei's shirt, he was getting light-headed and his knees were becoming weaker, but still, he couldn't bring himself to pull away from the boxer. After, realizing his own lack of air, Ryohei broke the kiss, partially rescuing Tsuna from suffocation.

"Sawada…I like you." Ryohei breathed against Tsuna's lips.

However, the boxer's confession fell upon deafen ears. Tsuna could not hear it. The brunette looked up to the boxer, responding to the sound of his voice but Tsuna was already on another planet. The other's face was flushed pink and his small hands still grasped at Ryohei's uniform holding tight. The brunette then whispered to Ryohei. "S-Sasagawa-san…that's too extreme."

"Sawada!" The white haired athlete yelled as Tsuna sanked to the ground, his legs had turned into jelly due to the boxer's ecstasy-inducing kiss. While boxing fanatic was in a state of distress, the freshman began blissfully mumbling to himself about rainbows and stardust, his eyes glazed over and the biggest smile plastered on his face. It was clear the brunette's mind had broken.

Watching from a corner, Lussuria became horrified at what Ryohei's kiss had done to the freshman. _When I said, go get him…I didn't mean to kill him, Hun._ Lussuria sighed. Ryohei was truly hopeless.

* * *

A few days later…

Tsuna recovered from Ryohei's extreme kiss within a few hours. He had awakened to Gokudera threatening to kill the boxer; however, Tsuna was able to relieve both of his friends' fears at the sight of his wellness. He was fine physically, but on a mental and emotional level, he wasn't so sure. Ryohei had kissed him…the boxer was like an older brother, and yet the upperclassman had kissed him. Not that it was a bad kiss; it was one of the best kisses he had received as of yet. But that was not the point; something was going on with his friends. He was still confused about these feelings towards them. Maybe even slightly afraid.

As the brunette walked down the hallway, this was all he could think of. He didn't know what to do. Should he just ignore the affections he had been receiving, or should he accept them? If he ignored them, then the friendships he had made would not be in jeopardy, but it wouldn't be fair. Yet, if he accepted these feelings, would he have any friends left? And would it be fair to him to go into something so delicate, half-heartedly? Tsuna didn't know what he should do. He had been racking his head around it for days and still no clear answer came to him.

He sighed to himself, wishing for someone he could talk to. He needed someone to which he could talk freely, and that would give him an unbiased opinion. He tried to figure out someone within his small of friends that he could talk with, but every one of his friends had kissed him. He further thought about acquaintances outside of his circle but most of them were very hard to talk to, and he didn't have much trust in them. The more he thought of it, the more his possibilities seem to slim. It was very depressing. Tsuna decided to give up, since all this thinking was giving him a headache.

As Tsuna made his way toward a stairway, he heard a yell and soon after, a body tumbled down to the last step. Coming to a stop, the body laid spread-eagled on the floor at the foot of the stairs. For moments, the person just laid there until he slowly made an attempt to sit up. The brunette then noticed that person was very familiar. The golden blonde hair and the unique tattoo on his right arm.

"Dino-san!" Tsuna called to his friend, rushing to his side to see if there was anything he could do. "Oh my god! Are you alright?"

Dino looked to Tsuna and tried to smile as the other approached. He then assured the freshman. "I'm fine...this happens very often"

"Often?" Tsuna repeated.

"Did I say often? I meant very rarely." Dino corrected himself with a nervous laugh. He didn't want Tsuna to think he was a klutz.

"Oh I see." Tsuna was not buying it. He knew that Dino was just as clumsy as he was. He could understand why a cool guy like Dino would want to hide such a flaw, but he didn't think any less of the other. It was part of the blonde's charm and made the other more approachable. That's what made Tsuna so comfortable around Dino. If it wasn't for Dino's clumsiness, he would be too intimidated by his flair to even talk to him.

Dino decided to change the subject. Not because he felt that Tsuna was catching on, but because he never liked to dwell on his flaws. Most of time, he liked to pretend that they were not there at all. He causally asked. "What have you been up to, Tsuna? Haven't seen you around lately."

"My life's been kind of hectic." Tsuna admitted.

Dino nodded his head in agreement, reminiscing about his days as a freshman. "Yea, this school will do that to you."

"But it's still fun." Tsuna voiced, although his school life had been throwing him through loops, he still considered it a lot of fun. "There are a lot of interesting people here."

"But do you know who is the most interesting of them all?" Dino smirked.

Tsuna thought hard about the question Dino posed. He then smiled as he came up with an answer. "Hmmm…the principal, right? I never met him but he sounds like an awesome person."

_More like insane, sadistic and condescending! _Dino's brain screamed but he didn't utter these opinions to Tsuna. The freshman would find out how truly terrible the principal was on his own. He continued to smile. "He's interesting, too. But the most interesting person in my opinion…" Dino moved closer to Tsuna, slightly leaning close to the freshman's ear. He then whispered smoothly. "Is you."

"Dino-san?" Tsuna blush madly, as he felt the blonde's warm breath tickle against his ear. The sensation sent shivers through his body. The brunette tawny eyes watched as the Dino leaned in to steal a kiss. Yet, Dino's hand slipped forward, making him crash into the smaller boy. Both of their heads collided pretty harshly against each other. At one point, Dino was seeing stars.

"Ow…" Cried Tsuna, as his bashed forehead began throbbing with pain.

"I'm sorry, Tsuna." Dino apologized rubbing his own head. He truly was sorry. Sorry that he was so clumsy. Sorry that he had such a hard head. And sorry that he had fudged up a perfectly golden opportunity.

However, clumsiness was not a new thing to Dino, after of years of living with this horrible curse he had learned to make up for his flaw. The blonde slowly cupped Tsuna's face with his hands making sure that he was well balanced this time. With the brunette's eyes upon him, he shamelessly laid a kiss on the other's forehead. Soothing the searing area with his lips and then sensually trailing down the other's nose and placing a kiss upon the brunette pink lips. Just seeing the brunette's flush face and hearing that soft moan escape the freshman's mouth, made it all worthwhile and also proved that it was the recovery that made the difference.

Chapter Thirteen End

[1] Tamagoyaki- Japanese Omelet

Author's note:

Ryohei was a bit more light hearted than the others however, just because it was a little less serious, doesn't mean that Ryohei was not an important influence to Tsuna or vice versa. I must add that the love scene was really hard to write but, I gathered that it was so hard to write because I really see Ryohei as an older brother to Tsuna. However, I still allowed him his chance. In addition, it was hard to place parallels between Tsuna and Kyoko but, instead of fighting it, I just went with the flow. To me, the couple Tsuna and Kyoko seems like selfcest, they look alike, act alike and you get the picture. However, Kyoko will be one of Tsuna's interests but, for a very short time because I hate this couple. Anyway, Chapter Fourteen is nearly done. Like I said in Yamamoto's chapter, there will be a surprise presented by Byakuran in that chapter. Also expect X27 and 10027 as well as slightly humorous X100 action (these two remind me so much of Fye and Kurogane from TRC, I just couldn't help myself). Thank you for reading this chapter and my previous chapters of this story. Show your love for the story by reviewing my work. Since, Tsuna shouldn't be the only one to receive love. Also, please leave suggestions (Although, it's scary seeing how most of you are on the same wavelength as me) but only if good intentions are behind them. Thank you Mithras151 for checking this chapter!!!


	14. Tsuna the Afraid

Hungry for Tsuna

A Katekyo Hitman Reborn Fanfiction

Disclaimer: Katekyo Hitman Reborn belongs to Akira Amano.

Rating: M, because of Xanxus' crude language….and nothing else!

Edited by Mithras151: June 28, 2009

Chapter fourteen: Tsuna the Afraid

"Pardon the intrusion…" The brunette automatically said as he walked into the student council office. His eyes met with a person that he had not seen for a long time. The vice president had not noticed him, since he was too embedded in his work, or should one say Byakuran's fucking work! The Italian did not notice the cheerful brunette coming towards him and when he did it was too late. There was a blur of brown, the papers he had been working on was thrown up in the air and fell to the floor like snowflakes. The brunette had fastened himself around his torso and looking up at him, with a smile that made the sun jealous. "Xanxus!"

"What the fuck are you doing?!" Although, he didn't mean for his response to sound so harsh, he was really surprised by Tsuna's actions. Or maybe he wasn't used to people running up to hug him. And he hoped it wouldn't become a habit either.

"You're alright." The freshman said with an air of relief. Tsuna didn't seem fazed by Xanxus's comment, he was so happy to know that the vice president was fine. He had been wondering if Xanxus was alright for quite a while and not being able to see the scarred Italian made him even more worried. So, when he saw him, Tsuna couldn't help but hug him.

"Of course I am. I can handle myself. " Xanxus replied. He wasn't that weak, it would take more than Mukuro to keep him down. "And why the fuck are you still hugging me? How about you make yourself useful and pick up the shit you dropped on the floor?"

"Sorry…I was just really happy to see you." Tsuna confessed as he released Xanxus from his hold. He then quickly turned to the papers that were scattered among the floor and preceded in picking them up. The brunette completely missed the perplexed expression the vice president had.

Xanxus was a bit taken back by Tsuna's words that all he could do was watch the freshman gather the sheets of paper. No one was ever happy to see him. Not even his own "family" was happy to see him. He frowned, he didn't know how to take the brunette's words, nor did he know how to respond to it. "Why?" He unconsciously uttered and he cursed himself for the slip.

Tsuna turned to the Italian, placing the last sheet on the top of the pile he had gathered. "Well…I still want to be your friend." Tsuna beamed.

"Your sure are persistent about that friendship shit." He commented as he snatched the stack of papers from the freshman. He was sure that he made himself pretty clear the last time that he didn't need friendship. Especially, from some do-gooder, who saw him as a charity case! Nothing good would come out of them being friends. Nothing!

"Are you afraid that I might stab you in the back? Is that it? I would never do that to you." Tsuna asked.

"Well, I'm not going to find out! Don't you have a whole fucking harem, anyway?! I swear there's a whole lot of trash in this school that would kill to be your fucking friend. What makes me so goddamn special?" The vice president questioned.

"Because, I have something to prove to you." Tsuna declared stanchly. The brunette remembered during their last encounter; Xanxus assumed that Tsuna could never understand his pain because the brunette had never lived a harsh life. Although, he didn't have a bad upbringing, Tsuna felt that he was still eligible to be the vice president's friend. And that was what he needed to prove to Xanxus.

"Well…" The vice president seemed to be considering Tsuna's words. The brunette's hopeful eyes fell on the contemplating Italian. Then suddenly his decision was given. "Tough shit!"

"Xanxus!" Tsuna pleaded.

The vice president barked, "Give it up because it's not happening! Go solve someone else's fucking problems, Mary Sue!"

Tsuna was so angered by how the vice president dismissed his efforts. Normally, he would have dropped the subject and cowered in fear, but he disliked how Xanxus felt that he was only doing befriending him for his own selfish reasons.

"You're just afraid!" Tsuna yelled back, but as soon as he said them, the freshman wanted to take it back. He watched slowly as Xanxus turned to him. The other's crimson eyes bore into him. Tsuna had pissed off the wrong person.

Xanxus' burned into the brunette's very soul. "What did you say, trash?!"

At first, Tsuna was wondering whether he should keep his mouth closed. The way Xanxus looked at him and the way that angered voice made him wanted to scream for his mother were clear indications that he should say no more. However, Tsuna knew that running scared would not bring him closer to being Xanxus's friend. It was cowardly, but it would be safer for him to abort ship. However, if he did run away, it would prove to the vice president that he was a wimp. Sadly, Tsuna decided to brave it. He didn't know why he wanted to befriend such a scary person, but he felt it had a lot to do with what he saw last time. Xanxus was beginning to open up to him, and Tsuna didn't want to give up just yet. Tsuna tried his best to look Xanxus in the face and slowly he stood up straight. He then repeated what he said, his voice shaky. "I-I said, that you're scared!"

It happened too fast for his eyes to catch up. The small brunette was slammed against the wall, pretty roughly. His whole body screamed at the harsh contact with the wall but before he could recover from the pain, a strong grip grabbed his throat, pinning him against the hard surface. Tsuna's tawny eyes opened slightly, revealing that the hand at his throat belonged to Xanxus. The vice president was viciously looming over him. His red eyes were wild with rage. The freshman let out a choked shriek as the vice president squeezed at his throat, threatening to crush it. "You little shit!" Xanxus spat.

"Ah!" Tsuna gasped as the vice president's hold on his neck tightened. The brunette felt as if Xanxus was going to kill him if he didn't do something. Tsuna grabbed onto the hand that gripped his neck but his hands were not attempting to break free from Xanxus's hold. Instead, he just held on to it. Tsuna's touch was light and almost nonexistent compared to Xanxus's ferocious grip. His eyes softly focused on Xanxus and he gave him the bravest look he could muster. Xanxus's glare gave him the chills but there was something within the freshman that told him he had nothing to fear. The vice president's rage was just a show. A shield, even. Tsuna wanted to know what this shield of anger was protecting. The freshman then slowly smiled and said quietly. "What have you got to lose?"

The vice president's grip wavered. Xanxus had expected Tsuna to beg or apologize , or some cowardly shit like that. But, he had not expected the brunette to overlook the fact that he was an inch away from strangling him to death. Still, in this dire situation, the brat was able to compose himself into being a fucking saint, soothing his anger like a fireman set to subduing a roaring blaze. How the brat did it, he didn't know. All he knew was that every motivation he had to choke the life out of Tsuna was gone, and he had completely forgotten the reason why he was so mad in the first place.

As the fury left him, Xanxus was left staring into the brunette's eyes. In the brat's eyes there wasn't even one ounce of fear. It seemed as if the brunette had grown a pair of balls since the last time he saw him. Xanxus was impressed, but even more so, he was thrilled. Sure, Squalo did talk back to him, but the fucking idiot didn't have the eloquence that Tsuna had. Xanxus loosened his grip on Tsuna's neck but he didn't let go. He forcefully lifted the other's head up. The scarred Italian then brought his mouth down to Tsuna's ear, biting at his earlobe before, speaking in a deep and husky voice. "So you actually grew a spine, Brat."

The other's hot breath graced against his neck and the warmth coasted down his body, making the freshman shiver. Tsuna didn't know how to take this change in the vice president's mood. First the Italian was irate with him, but now, the freshman wasn't sure what the other was doing. The brunette's bright tawny eyes looked up to Xanxus, in those crimson orbs he could see a need that had to be satiated. The vice president's hand upon his neck began to heat up but he wasn't scorched by high temperature, it was actually soothing. Not only was Tsuna reddening from the Italian's prior comment but now his complexion was darkening to a crimson red from the added heat to his skin.

Seizing the opportunity while it was still ripe, Xanxus enmeshed his mouth with the smaller boy's. The brunette groaned as he felt the bruising pressure upon his lips. From their last encounter, Tsuna knew that Xanxus was not the gentlest person. Like Hibari, the vice president's kiss was heavy with emotion and want. And though it hurt, the pleasure of the kiss outweighed the pain. The heat from Xanxus's mouth drove him to a light headed stupor. It was so soothing and invigorating, that the vice president's touch made him feel as if his whole body were being warmed by an open fire. From his lips to his toes, the brunette could feel the heat leaking into his very being; tickling his soul, warming his blood, and making his skin so sensitive to the other's caress. Xanxus's mouth made his knees weak, and the longer he was under the upperclassman's warmth, the more he felt like exploding in a blissful blast.

Xanxus plunged his tongue into the other's mouth and the smaller boy stilled, getting lost in passion of the other's roaming organ. The brunette did not participate but he did not show any revulsion as the vice president's tongue explored the caverns of the brunette's mouth. Sending a blazing trail along his own oral appendage added to Xanxus's stimulating ministrations. The strong hand braced at his neck, the tempting pressure upon his throat and the feel of the other's rapid pulse against the brunette's skin was just as intoxicating as the vice president's mouth threatening to gobble him up.

After the vice president got his fill of scavenging through the freshman's mouth, he grudgingly broke away from the other, but his hand was still trained on the brunette's small throat. Tsuna looked up at the vice president, his eyes distant but elated. Xanxus was not prepared to let go yet. He still wanted to take the brunette in ways the brat had never dreamed of. He wanted to touch and taste, but before his desire controlled him, he released the small boy. Once the hand was removed from his throat did Tsuna come to his senses. He was about to question the red eyed student about his actions but, Tsuna was interrupted.

"Good Morning!" Byakuran burst through the door. The president's lilac eyes fell on Xanxus and Tsuna. He quickly assessed that the vice president had cornered the freshman by the wall. With the positions that both of them held, it seemed as if Tsuna was being bullied. But, the more the president gazed at the pair, the more he began to notice. The redness of Tsuna's face, the slight arch in Xanxus' back, and the fresh bruise upon his tsunafish's lip. Despite knowing what had transpired between Xanxus and Tsuna, Byakuran pretended he did not. Instead, he went to Tsuna's rescue. "Xan-chan! What are you doing to Tsu-chan?!"

"Showing him whose boss." The vice president said with a smirk.

Tsuna glared at the Italian vice president as upperclassman backed off. He breathed, "Xanxus."

"Tsu-chan, are you okay? Was Xan-chan being mean to you? Did he touch you inappropriately?" The president inquired with a worried expression.

Xanxus whirled around and, although Byakuran's allegation was partially true, he still got angry. "What was that, fucking trash?!"

Byakuran opened his mouth to say some snide remark but Tsuna grabbed onto the student president's blazer, stopping him before he did. Tsuna then assured the president, "I'm fine. We were just having a friendly spat."

The student president listened to Tsuna words and accepted his excuse. "Well, okay. If Tsu-chan says so." He then looked towards Xanxus. "I forgive you, Xan-chan."

"I don't need your shitty forgiveness!" The dark haired vice president retorted.

The president smirked, wickedly. "Awww, Xan-chan is that a love confession?"

"The fuck it is!" The vice president cursed.

Before even walking through the door, Shouichi had already heard the howls of his president's and vice president's bickering. Shouichi sighed, seeing that Xanxus and Byakuran were quarrelling again. But nevertheless, he still needed to do his job of making sure the both of them were cooperative, especially since today was very special for the student council. Shouichi interjected. "Byakuran-sama, the students are assembling in the lecture hall."

Remembering the reason they have all gathered, the student president turned away from Xanxus to his secretary and exclaimed. "Perfect! I'm so excited!"

"What's going on?" Tsuna asked. He was wondering why he had been called up here while the rest of the students were congregating in the lecture hall. Tsuna wanted to sit with his friends in their first meeting, but at the same time, he was glad he was called out. Now, he would be able to know what was going on.

"Well our cultural festival is coming up soon. So we need to raise enough money to have it. We raise the money by doing small events during the first term and the beginning of the second term. Byakuran is going to be announcing the first event that we will be doing." Shouichi explained.

"Oh? What is the event about?" Tsuna questioned.

Shouichi blushed mildly, but before he could utter a word, the president interrupted him. "You'll find out during the ceremony, Tsu-chan. But, I called you here for your help." Byakuran replied.

"Help?" The brunette repeated.

The president elucidated. "Well, I'm sure you've been to those boring assemblies in middle school. I need to have the students' undivided attention. So I need Tsu-chan to be present."

Tsuna raised an eyebrow. "You want me to mascot during an announcement? Wouldn't that be distracting?"

"No, I don't want you as a mascot but as eye candy. Eye candy is usually stationary." Byakuran corrected, with a huge grin on his face.

"Byakuran-sama…" Shouichi sighed.

Tsuna frowned, crossing his arms over his chest. "I'm not doing that…"

"You have to do it, you signed the contract. Mascot or not, I have the power to use you for whatever I like…pertaining to the school, that is." Byakuran stated sternly. Tsuna was starting to think that it had been a bad idea to have signed that contract. If the president could use him for any whim he formed, then Tsuna feared that he would be pimped out by the president. But then Byakuran broke down and confessed the real reason he wanted Tsuna's presence. "Plus, Otachan, Kyo-chan and Same-chan will not be present. I don't want to look bad."

"Same-chan?" Tsuna didn't recognize the name.

"Squalo-san." Shouichi informed the brunette.

Byakuran looked over to his vice president, who had been sulking ever since the president showed up and inquired. "Xan-chan, why is it that your right hand man is not coming?"

"He's taking a nap. A very deep nap." The vice president said darkly.

"In other words, you killed him, didn't you?" Byakuran teased.

Xanxus shrugged his shoulders. He couldn't give two fucks about that sword idiot. "Heh…I wish that piece of shit would drop dead already."

_What kind of person do I want to befriend?_ Tsuna thought to himself, and then he looked back to the student president. Sighing, he gave in to the president's request. "Fine. Will I be wearing my school uniform for this?"

"Sadly…yes." Byakuran sighed and with an air of discontentment.

_Why do you sound so disappointed?!_ Tsuna thought to himself as he looked at the student president incredulously.

"Come on, let's get this shit over with." Xanxus grumbled, ready to walk through the door.

Byakuran just couldn't hold back. "Can't wait to get back to your cloud of depression, Xan-chan?"

Seething with rage, the scarred Italian turned to the impish existence and threatened, "I'm going to fucking kill you!"

"Shou-chan! Xan-chan is threatening my life!" The student president shrieked as he hid behind the red haired secretary, dodging the vice president's death glare.

"With good reason, Byakuran-sama." Shouichi said as he rubbed his temples. It was going to be a long trip to the lecture hall. A longer trip than it had to be. With the president and vice president going at it, it would take ages to get from point A to point B, even if the destination was in the same building. "Now, can we start heading downstairs?"

* * *

The lecture hall was very similar to a small theater, or even a small college lecture room. In front of all the aligned seats was a small stage with a podium in the middle of it and several chairs behind the podium. On both sides of the stage was a pair of steps leading up to it. Plastered on the walls of the lecture hall were large flags holding the school emblem, and in the back of the lecture hall hung portraits of outstanding alumni who had donated to the school. The lecture room was one of the oldest rooms of the school, and from its archaic-like structure, it was proof that it was one of the first things built. Rumor had it that the lecture room had been used as a classroom, where the founder himself would teach. Other than that, the lecture room had been primarily used for school meetings after the founder's death.

Thanks to the disciplinary committee, the filing into the lecture hall was done very orderly. The officers made sure the students entered and seated themselves, obediently. There were no outbursts, no whispers, or any noise that could disrupt this decorous conduct. As the students quietly found their seating and patiently waited for the ceremony to begin, the disciplinary committee members stationed themselves at every exit or the center of every few aisles. On the roof, right above the lecture building, Hibari laid under the blue sky. Because the other did not like crowding, he decided to take his place on the roof. In this position, he could still hear the proceedings of the meeting and also make sure that he caught up on his sleep. Too many herbivores in one room didn't interest him, and he was also dispassionate about whatever the student council had to say. It didn't involve him. His main concern was upholding the order within the school.

Tsuna and the student council entered through one of the side doors. The brunette eyed the seated group of students and began to feel nervous. Although he would not be the one speaking to them, he did feel anxious about sitting in front of them. He waited behind the student council, making sure he didn't make a fool of himself as he stepped on to the stage.

Shouichi pushed his glasses up his nose and asked the student president. "Now, Byakuran-sama…do you remember your speech?"

The student president's eyes widened in shock. "Speech?! I was supposed to have a speech?!"

"Byakuran-sama!" The red haired secretary screamed, ready to rip his hair from his scalp.

"Don't worry, Shou-chan. I didn't forget." Byakuran replied coolly. He had only pulled Shouichi's leg, since his secretary was so uptight. He then pointed to his head. "It's right here."

Shouichi sighed heavily. "Thank the heavens."

"Shou-chan, you're going to have gray hair if you worry so much." The student president smiled mischievously at his secretary. He felt that Shouichi needed to lighten up sometimes. After dealing with him so long, Byakuran felt that his secretary should have been used to his antics by now. But he guessed old habits die hard.

"I wonder why…" Shouichi replied bitterly. He wished the president would take things more seriously and spare him the heart attack.

Byakuran looked to the patient crowd of students. "Well, I guess we should get started."

"Good luck." The brunette wished.

The white haired upperclassmen turned to Tsuna. "Thank you, Tsu-chan."

Opposite of Tsuna, Xanxus wished for the president's failure. "Break a leg…literally."

The student president smirked. "I love you too, Xan-chan."

Byakuran quickly walked up to the podium before Xanxus could pound his face. Tsuna and the others took their respective seats behind the student president. His lilac eyes gazed the student body of Namimori and, although he was speaking to a large group of people, the white haired upperclassmen didn't break a sweat. With the grace and charisma of an excellent public speaker, Byakuran greeted his fellow classmates. "Hello, Namimori Students! I was gone for a whole entire week. Did you miss me?"

"Best. Week. Ever." Xanxus said under his breath.

_Xanxus…_Shouichi and Tsuna both gave the vice president a sidelong glance before turning back to Byakuran_. _

The crowd gave Byakuran a very satisfying response. He had indeed been missed, but of course, the president wasn't able to stir all of the students. The president wasn't bothered by this; he knew he was a hated figure amongst his student body. Well, amongst the upperclassmen, anyway. There was still much suspicion about his involvement in last year's failed coup d'état against the principal, but Byakuran had already put that behind him.

He then continued after the cheers and jeers had died down. "But while I was gone I found myself upon a wondrous haven. This place that I inhabited was unlike any other place I've experienced. Surprisingly, it was in the middle of Tokyo and I would have never expected to find such a paradise in the metropolitan area. The atmosphere, the etiquette and the charm was just too much for one person to take. So I also wanted my peers to experience this delight as well. So it was decided by the student council that Namimori's first event of this year will be a maid cafe."

_Finally…something normal…_Tsuna let out this big breath that he held in. He suspected that the president would do some crazy event, where he would have to be a mascot for it. He was so relieved that the café would not involve him whatsoever. From the sound of it, the students were also very keen on the idea as well.

"Settle down… I haven't gotten to the best part yet!" The student president spoke through the student's eager discussion of the upcoming event. "The café will have maids but the main attraction is really special. The head maid will be wearing a special outfit voted on by the students of Namimori, and the theme of the café will correspond to the outfit you choose. The other maids will be selected from our neighboring school, the girls from Saxifrage Academia, and their outfits will also correspond to the head maid and theme of the café. Also, there will be a contest going on during the day of the event. Whoever manages to shell out the most money to the café will get a prize. The prize wouldn't be announced until the day of the event but I promise that it will be something good and worth your interest."

Once again, the students broke into discussion about the head maid and the other things that the president had mentioned. Byakuran couldn't keep the grin off his face. He was getting to his favorite part of the announcement, and Byakuran thought he would burst from excitement if he didn't announce it. "So, who is this head maid, you ask? Well, of course it would be our very own Sawada Tsunayoshi. Who else will fulfill the role better than him?"

Tsuna's jaw dropped at this new development. Originally the freshman had thought that he would not be exploited by Byakuran; that moment was when he was yanked back by the other's ball and chain. _Why god? Why?_

"Sorry, Sawada-san." Shouichi smiled sympathetically. He knew they shouldn't be using Tsuna like this, but the brunette's presence did make everything a lot easier. He had to admit, Tsuna was a good resource for them.

Tsuna looked to Shouichi in awe. He never thought that Shouichi, of all people, would agree to this. _You knew, Irie-san! Why didn't you warn me?!_

Xanxus, who had been mostly silent throughout the announcement, finally spoke his peace. "Heh, this shit confirms it."

The brunette turned to Xanxus and asked curiously, "Confirms what?"

The Italian smirked. "That your pansy ass doesn't have a dick!"

"What?!" Exclaimed Tsuna. He was baffled by the vice president's statement, especially since the Italian had groped it earlier.

"Grow one…with that pair of balls you grew today." Xanxus turned to Tsuna. The vice president's face was very serious,and the look alone made Tsuna sit up in his seat obediently. "Or forget about befriending me."

"Xanxus?" Tsuna said in disbelief. Did he hear him correctly? There was actually a possibility of being friends with Xanxus? He watched as the vice president got up from his seat without another word. The brunette was left in confusion as the scarred Italian walked off the stage. After the shock had receded, he realized he had gotten a little closer in becoming Xanxus's friend, and he would have leaped for joy, if he had not just publically humiliated by Byakuran.

Not too far from the stage stood three figures. One of the figures was a bit shorter than the others. Their dark eyes looked intently at the stage, their eyes ablaze with determination. One with dark blue hair was more focused on the crowd and the disciplinary officers, and the last figure with one hand on their hip was looking nonchalantly at their finger nails.

The figure with dark brown eyes and hair lifted their hands upward, grasping at the air in front of them. The individual then expressed, "Tsuna-san is so close. Haru wants to touch him."

The cautious one turned to dark haired person. "Calm down… you'll blow our cover."

The figure assured the other. "Don't worry, Haru's disguises are state of the art. We actually look like boys."

The blue haired person shrugged their shoulders but admitted that the other had done a good job. "That's true…you actually did a good job. Usually your costumes are a little out there. I thought you would have us dressed up as pieces of the wall or something."

"Hahi! What is that suppose to mean, Lal mirch?" Haru questioned the taller girl.

"Shhh!" The figure with pink hair and manicured fingers hushed them.

"Sorry…" Haru apologized to one with the pinkish hair. Then her eyes turned back to the stage to see Tsuna and the rest of the student council walking off. "Oh no, Tsuna-san is leaving! Once more, the maiden's heart goes doki doki. Unrequited love is truly a girl's poison."

"Doesn't look like you guys can take pictures of him, now?" Lal Mirch observed. With this crowd and how far they were from the stage, it would be too dangerous for the two.

"That's true but now we're presented with a chance to meet Tsuna-san. We've got to be the maids chosen to do the maid cafe!" Haru was already rearing to go; she was willing to do anything to speak to Tsuna.

"Count me out…" Lal Mirch said. She wanted no part in Haru's plan.

The pink haired girl teased. "What's wrong? So used to beating guys up that you've forgotten how to woo them?"

"What was that?! You shouldn't be talking. With your bad cooking, I don't see anyone lining up to date you either." The blue haired girl countered.

"Well, I have a boyfriend…." Bianchi proudly replied.

However, Lal mirch was not convinced. She knew about the "boyfriend", she was speaking of. "Yeah, a cradle-robber and a playboy!"

The poison cooker turned up her nose and retorted, "Well, at least I don't have the hots for a sweaty gym teacher! How gross!"

Lal Mirch moved to strike Bianchi but Haru came in between the both of them.

"Hahi! Calm down you two…they're on to us." The smallest of the trio tried to calm her friends down but Haru expected that the two of them would not cooperate well. The truth was Lal Mirch and Bianchi never really got along. Mostly, because the two differed in opinions. Bianchi believed that love was the most important thing, but Lal Mirch believed that survival was more significant and even more practical.

As the two girls continue to argue, several officers from the Disciplinary noticed their outburst. Not only were they acting in misconduct but they also looked suspicions. One of the officers came towards the group of girls and confronted them. "You three!"

"Shit!" The blue haired girl cursed, thinking they had been discovered.

"Hahi!" Haru screamed.

"Quiet down or be dis-" The disciplinary officer began to reprimand the girls before a plate of poison cooking was smashed into his face. The officer went down and showed no signs of getting back up. The surrounding students, who had saw everything decided to run away and the remaining disciplinary officers decided to take action.

"Run!" Lal Mirch shouted as she took the lead, leading the two girls disguised as boys out of harm's way.

* * *

After the announcement, Tsuna left the stage and headed back up stairs to the Student Council room. The petite freshman hoped that student president had gone there; otherwise, it would be a hassle to get in touch with him. He needed to talk to Byakuran and try to get out of this crazy event that he had enlisted him to. Tsuna didn't want to do it. Although, he had fun being the mascot for the school, going as far as a maid was too much. Xanxus had said it himself, the brunette's masculinity was on the line and this event was going to diminish what was left of his maleness. The brunette approached the student council and knocked before opening the door.

"Byakuran-san?" Tsuna whispered from the half ajar door. The tawny eyes of the protagonist then spotted the student president on one of the couches of the lounge. The white haired student council member was currently enjoying some marshmallows until he heard Tsuna enter.

The president slowly turned to the approaching brunette. "Oh, Tsu-chan. What brings you here?"

Tsuna walked up to the other. "I wanted to speak with you. Are you busy?"

"Busy? You actually think I do work, Tsu-chan. You have a lot of faith in me." The student president replied.

_At least, pretend!_ Tsuna mentally scolded the student president.

Byakuran beckoned the brunette to sit with him and also offered the freshman some of his favorite snack. "Take a seat, have a marshmallow. I'm willing to share with you, Tsu-chan."

Tsuna timidly took a seat next to the student president but declined indulging in the white haired upperclassman's snack. "No, thank you."

The president merrily continued to consume the fluffy goodness. Marshmallows, no, sugar period was truly a godsend to the president. "So? What did you want to speak to me about?"

"Byakuran-san...I really don't think I could do the maid cafe?" The freshman confessed.

Byakuran gazed at the brunette. "Oh? Why not?"

_Well…off the top of my head..._ Tsuna began with the dimensions of his mind. "Because I'm clumsy, I don't know how to take orders and I'm afraid of what they would choose for me to wear."

The white haired president chuckled at Tsuna's reasoning. Tsuna was just so cute. But, Byakuran had a lot of faith in the brunette. So, it was easy for the president to dismantle any of the other's misgivings. "Oh Tsu-chan, you're being silly. Even if you did do something clumsy, everyone would ultimately forgive you for being such a darling. And if you do forget their orders or mix them up, they'll be too in love with the fact that their breathing the same air as you to care. And as for that last bit about your chosen costume...well I hope they vote for the Catboy one. Tsu-chan would look so fierce."

Tsuna frowned, feeling defeated. "For some reason...I figured you'd say all of that."

The spiky haired student president defended himself. "Well, this was my idea, and it's for a good cause. Instead of doing something boring like a bake sale, this would actually get the students involved. And it's totally voluntary...well for the students, not you."

_Even though, Byakuran thinks of these crazy ideas, he's really thinking about the students. _Tsuna reasoned. Even though, he was signed up for this involuntarily, the freshman felt that his services weren't exploiting him and it was for a good cause. He then surrendered. "Well okay. I'll do it for the students."

"Yay!" Byakuran exclaimed excitedly, dropping his bag of marshmallows during his fit of exhilaration. He grasped onto Tsuna's small hands. "Don't worry, Tsu-chan. You'll be sensational. I truly mean this."

Tsuna smiled, nervously. He just hoped he wouldn't mess up. "I'm happy that I have your support."

Although, Byakuran was very happy that Tsuna agreed to participate, it wouldn't have mattered anyway. The student president was going to make his mascot do it, no matter what, but at least things would run much smoother this way. He then released Tsuna's hands and picked up the marshmallow bag. He then slowly took a marshmallow out of the bag. However, the president hesitated in consuming it. His lilac gaze looked over to the brunette and he managed to catch a slip in Tsuna's nearly flawless "everything is alright" front. However, the brunette must have also noticed and began to build up the wall once more. Byakuran pretended not to see it and turned back to his sugary snack. For a while, he played with the fluffy, white treat contemplating whether or not he should divulge his question. After much internal debate, the student president questioned. "Has anything been bothering you, Tsu-chan?"

"Ah." Tsuna responded a bit surprised by the president's inquiry. He then shook his head. "It's really nothing."

Byakuran observed the freshman. As Tsuna answered Byakuran, the brunette could not look at him in the eye and when he did attempt to hold eye contact, it was almost as if Tsuna was dodging his gaze. "You're lying. I can see it in your eyes that there has been something bothering you."

Tsuna hadn't realized that his emotions were on his sleeves, but he had to consider the possibility that the president could read people pretty well. He said softly. "Byakuran-san."

"Come on, Tsu-chan. You can tell me. It's not good to keep things bottled up inside." The student president pressed.

Tsuna sighed heavily, his tawny eyes trained on the hands in his lap. For moments, he mulled over whether he should confide in Byakuran or not. A part of him felt that the president was too much of a mystery to trust in but, the other side was at its wit's end, Tsuna needed to express his problems with someone. The yearning to talk to someone, overthrew his common sense. He needed advice, a point to the right direction, something to keep him sane. So, Tsuna told Byakuran everything. From the first night, he had arrived at the school to his exchange with Xanxus, earlier that day. Nothing was held back, everything was no longer a secret.

Tsuna finished. "I'm confused….no…more like...I'm frightened. I desperately don't want to lose my friends but at the same time…is it really fair to ignore their actions towards me?"

Throughout it all, the president had maintained a perfect mask of blithe but inside, his blood was boiling. The white haired student president was overcome with jealousy and protectiveness. But, Byakuran was careful not to convey these feelings to the brunette. He wanted to ensure that the brunette could confide in him, if he lost Tsuna's trust, then the freshman would never confide in him again. For now, Byakuran had to conceal his own feelings.

"Well, Tsu-chan, don't you think that they are also scared?" The student president questioned Tsuna. He watched as the brunette's reaction to his statement. From what he perceived, Tsuna had not thought of it that way. Byakuran then added. "They are also putting their friendship with you on the line. Like you, they don't want to be hated by you because of their actions. And I'm sure they are equally afraid of returning to that life without you."

"But, I don't know what the right decision is?" The brunette asked.

Byakuran poked Tsuna's forehead. "You're thinking too much with your head, Tsu-chan."

"Byakuran-san…" Tsuna said as he rubbed the place where the white haired upperclassmen had jabbed him.

The student president smiled very fondly at Tsuna and reassured him. "If Tsu-chan listens to his heart then everything will be alright and you won't live in regret. Everything will be simplified."

"My heart?" The freshman repeated and, although he believed there was some truth in Byakuran's words, he was still in doubt. "But..."

"Tsu-chan is a person with a heart of gold, and of course, such a heart will never steer you in the wrong direction." The president insisted, but he saw that Tsuna was still not convinced. Byakuran began to ponder how he could persuade Tsuna to heed his advice. Clouded by his suppressed feelings, the white haired president proposed an idea. He pinned the brunette down onto the couch, grabbing a hold of the smaller boy's wrists and lifting them above Tsuna's head. As Byakuran straddled the brunette's waist, he explained his actions. "We'll test it now."

Tsuna looked up at the student president and began to struggle against him. What did he mean by testing it out?! "Byakuran-san...what are you doing?!"

( Byakuran asked. "Tsu-chan, its chapter fourteen. Do you even have to ask anymore?"

"You're right." The freshman admitted. )

Byakuran leered at the brunette. "In this situation, Tsu-chan, what does your heart tell you to do?"

The white haired president leaned down and slightly kissed the brunette's pursed lips. Tsuna tensed under the sensual caress but, the sweetness on Byakuran's lips coaxed him to relax. Byakuran deepened his kiss, meshing their mouths with one another. Although, the president's kiss was domineering, it was also patient and persuasive, he had no need to push Tsuna into kissing him, the brunette was slowly doing so on own accord.

The brunette crumbled underneath the president's will. Unlike those who had kissed Tsuna, the brunette had detached himself. Allowing them to carry out their desire, but never taking part in it himself. If he didn't take part, then it was almost as if it never happened or was apathetic to it. Unconsciously, Tsuna had guarded himself in this way, so that he didn't tread on thin line between friendship and beyond. However, in an instant that self-control he had built up was being withered away by Byakuran. Yet, still Tsuna had to ask himself a question.

_What is my heart telling me to do…?_ Tsuna sincerely asked himself.

At first, Tsuna pressed timidly against Byakuran's lips, still unsure that what he was doing was correct. Yet, something inside Tsuna gestured him to continue. The tantalizing sensation he felt when their mouths met drove the brunette's actions. This yearning pushed the brunette into deepening the kiss. Their mouths meshed together, rushed and hot. Although, the president restrained the brunette, Tsuna was still able to kiss Byakuran with little effort. The president took the lead but the freshman was not far behind him, experiencing, touching, and indulging the older student. The brunette allowed the white haired upperclassman admittance and the president sweetened tongue danced with Tsuna's. The brunette boldly met with the other's sugared tongue; he stroked the hot and wet organ with his oral appendage. The freshman quivered as the president's tongue slid against his own. The sugared taste of the marshmallows that the president had consumed was on the root of his tongue, making the interaction even more inviting. Not only was the kiss enticing, but succulent.

Suddenly, Tsuna's arms were released and his hands were left to roam. One hand had positioned itself on the president's chest and the other was embedded in Byakuran's white spiky hair, which was incredibly soft to touch. The hold that the brunette had on the president only intensified the kiss they shared. This way, Tsuna could ensure that the president remained close, so that he could indulge more. Either way, Byakuran had no complaints. He was very delighted by Tsuna's vigor and if the brunette wanted him so badly, the brunette could take as much of him as the freshman wished. In this regard, however, the president was willing to take as much as Tsuna as he could as well. The upperclassmen's hands had disappeared underneath the smaller boy's shirt. Tsuna paused as he felt the white haired student's warm hands brushing against his skin. The brunette's heart ran a beat faster, the president's fingers danced along his abdomen. He could already feel himself blushing from the closeness of the touch.

Abruptly, the freshman moaned, when one of the president's fingers brushed against his nipple. It was so strange for Tsuna; it felt as if a surge of warmness had gathered inside him. His body began to tingle from the accidental caress and it was sending him through loops. Interested and also intrigued, Byakuran lightly caressed the bud of flesh again; earning delicious round of mewls from the petite boy. Embarrassed by the sounds he was emitting and scared by another rush of warmth, Tsuna grabbed onto the front of Byakuran's shirt and buried his face into it.

"Do you want me to stop, Tsu-chan?" Byakuran whispered. There was a pause and then the brunette nodded his head. Though, the president removed his hands from underneath Tsuna's shirt, the protagonist was still too embarrassed to uncover his face. The president's ministrations felt good, but he hated how he responded to him. Those sounds he would make were too new to him. Kissing, he had forcefully gotten used to, but the caresses were a different story. He just wasn't comfortable yet and he was happy that the president obeyed his wishes without question. Tsuna looked up at the president, his face still flushed from their intimacy. "Thank you." He said quietly.

"I guess I got a little carried away." The president apologized with a sympathetic smile.

Even if the student president got carried away, he was still able to gauge how far he wanted the other to go. It would have felt wrong if Byakuran had gone further, and he guessed the upperclassmen's idea did benefit him. However, the brunette was still perplexed on why the student president had chosen this method. Had Byakuran also fallen under his spell, or had he come under the influence of whatever force that caused the males in this school to maul him? "Byakuran-san, why did you-?"

"Well, everyone else has kissed, Tsu-chan and I don't like being left out." The president whined childishly. He stopped his whining and then confessed candidly. "To be honest, I won't mind doing unspeakable things to Tsu-chan, either."

_Why am I alone with this pervert?!_ Tsuna thought to himself as he swallowed the urge to run away. "But is this really the right way?" The brunette questioned.

The president gingerly cupped the brunette's cheek. "My sense of right is different from yours. You're the only one who could figure that out."

"Byakuran-sama!" Shouichi burst through the door. For a moment, he stood in the doorframe gasping from breath. The red haired secretary then realized Byakuran's and Tsuna's closeness. He hesitated to speak, feeling the awkwardness of the situation.

Byakuran turned to the disheveled secretary, and was very impressed by his secretary's tracking skills. "Shou-chan…you always manage to find me."

"Stop running away from your duties!" Shouichi yelled at the president. "The principal wants to speak with you."

The student president sighed heavily. "Is it really that important? I was having a nice conversation with Tsu-chan."

_Don't use me as an excuse!_ The protagonist frowned at Byakuran.

"Of course it's important! It's your job!" Shouichi frowned at the white haired boy; whenever it came to meeting with the principal, Byakuran would always find some way out of it. But nonetheless, Byakuran was the student president and Shouichi had to make sure Byakuran fulfilled all his duties.

The brunette also nudged Byakuran to meet with the principal. "You should go."

"Well, if Tsu-chan insists." The white haired upperclassmen stood up, ready to accept his responsibility. Byakuran followed Shouichi out of the room.

"Ah, Byakuran-san!" The brunette called after Byakuran, following the president and secretary out of the student council room. He looked to Byakuran. "Thank you very much."

The white haired upperclassman walked up to the small boy, leaning towards him to kiss the brunette's forehead. He then drew back and beamed at the freshman's blush. "No problem, Tsu-chan. If you need help don't hesitate to ask me."

The petite freshman nodded. "Okay."

"Ciao." Byakuran replied as he followed after Shouichi down the hall. Tsuna waited for his rapidly beating heart to still, before he went his own way.

* * *

The brunette continued to reflect on the president's advice and he was trying to figure out a way to respond to the feelings of his friends, without renouncing his own ambiguous sentiments. Tsuna was on his way back to his room, when he noticed a tall boy walking up the hall. Tsuna's eyes fell on the baseball fanatic. "Yamamoto?"

Yamamoto looked to Tsuna, when his name was called. The other's charismatic smile made its appearance upon seeing the petite brunette. "Tsuna, what's up?"

"Are you all better now?" Tsuna asked, surprised to see his friend out of the infirmary so soon.

The baseball fanatic nodded. "Yep. I feel good as new."

"I'm relieved." Tsuna smiled. Now, all his friends were fine. Then, the brunette's pleased attitude was transformed into a more solemn mood. Yamamoto wasn't just his friend, right? Didn't the other wanted more than that? The freshman decided that this would be a good time to apply Byakuran's advice. He had to be brave, just how his friends had been. "Ah, Yamamoto. I was thinking that maybe we could go on a date sometime."

Yamamoto took in Tsuna's words but he couldn't believe his ears. He began to wonder if the painkillers he had taken were making him hallucinate. After realizing that he was not under the influence of any drug, he decided to question his friend. "A date?"

Tsuna noticed the baseball fanatic's hesitation and began, "Well, if you don't want to…"

"Not at all. I would really like that." The taller boy chimed in before the brunette could reconsider. However, he wondered what the reason behind Tsuna's recent boldness was. Just yesterday, the brunette was oblivious to his feelings and now, he asking him out. Something was up. "But, is this because of…the kiss? I don't want to push you into anything you don't want to do."

In all honesty, Tsuna had to admit that it was the kiss. If it wasn't for that he would have never noticed. But, what really pushed him to his final decision was his sense of fairness. Tsuna explained. "I don't know how I feel about you, Yamamoto. But, I do want to give you a chance. Perhaps, if we went on dates I could get to know you better and from there, I could figure out my feelings for you. I want to do this."

Although, Yamamoto was very happy to hear this, a nagging question ate at him. "So, will you be dating other people?"

"Y-yes…is that a problem?" Tsuna began to panic.

The taller boy comforted Tsuna by running his hand through the brunette's wild hair. He then shrugged. "Not for me…I like a little competition. But the others may not like it."

_Gokudera and Hibari-san especially._ Tsuna agreed grimly.

The dark haired freshman couldn't help but laugh at Tsuna's facial expressions. It was clear that the brunette had an idea, how his other suitors would respond to this. "I'm sure it'll be fine, though. I really am looking forward to it. When would you like to go?"

Tsuna thought about this for a moment and then answered. "I guess during the week."

"Thought so. Perhaps we should cut class." The baseball fanatic proposed as he thought hard about when they should go.

The brunette's eyes widened upon hearing this. "Cut class?!"

Yamamoto couldn't help but laugh at Tsuna's reaction to his suggestion but, he was serious. "That way we don't alert the others of our date. Any other time will be difficult."

"I see your point, but cutting class…that's really extreme." Tsuna replied, realizing that he had been spending a lot of time with Ryohei.

Yamamoto placed both of his hands on Tsuna's small shoulders and he sincerely looked at the smaller boy. "Don't worry, Tsuna. I promise we wouldn't get caught."

The brunette looked into the other's eyes and saw that he was very confident and honest in what he was promising. Plus, Yamamoto had always given off the vibe of a very trustworthy person. He had no doubt that the baseball fanatic could safely execute this, but Tsuna's apprehensive side still perceived the situation as very risky. But, in the end, the brunette gave in to Yamamoto's charming smile. "Well, okay." He said so softly that only Yamamoto could hear it.

"Alright. We should go on Wednesday, before P.E. class. Meet me at the baseball field and change into regular clothes." He instructed.

Although, Tsuna felt cutting class was an awful offense, he was secretly getting excited. He had never cut class before, and by Yamamoto's instructions, it sounded fun. Plus, he never liked P.E., anyway. "Okay, got it." The brunette smiled.

"It'll be fun. Don't worry about anything, Tsuna." The tall freshman promised. Yamamoto leaned into the smaller boy and gently kissed Tsuna's cheek. The baseball player smirked as he felt the blood rush to his cheek, making his face heat up. The tall boy then pulled away. He then turned and began walking. "See ya later, Tsuna."

Tsuna had turned bright red from the small peck that Yamamoto gave him. He then quickly replied back. "B-bye, Yamamoto."

Yamamoto turned towards him and gave Tsuna his million dollar smile. He then continued on his way. If he had stayed by the cute brunette any longer, he was positive that he wouldn't be satisfied with just a peck on the cheek. As soon as Yamamoto disappeared from his sight, Tsuna began to walk as well. His steps were slow as he tried his best to cool down. He didn't want anyone else seeing him so flushed, it was embarrassing but, secretly the brunette longed for another. However, the more he thought of Yamamoto's kiss, the harder it was for the blush to disappear.

Suddenly, Tsuna was startled by a weird sound. The sound was very high-pitched but it wasn't harmful on the ears. The brunette looked around the hallways for the source of the sound and saw a tiny yellow bird perched on one of the lampposts that illuminated the hallway. The small bird was singing a song that Tsuna was not familiar with it but nevertheless, the tiny creature still had an extraordinary melody. The brunette went up to pet the bird, but as soon as Tsuna came with arms reach, the creature flew away down the hall and perched onto something else.

"Do you really think you and that herbivore could slip pass the disciplinary committee?" A voice called from down the hall.

Tsuna stopped cold at the sound of the voice. _Oh no. _Without even looking, he knew who it was and the freshman was hoping that he wouldn't have to deal with this person until later. And without even a glance, the brunette knew that this person was burning a hole through his body with his gaze alone. The murderous intent was so suffocating that he felt that he would either faint from fear or choke on it. Reluctantly, Tsuna looked at the end of the hall to see a seething Hibari approaching him. The other's blue eyes and presence screamed murder. _Why did he have to find out?_

"I'll make sure you two don't set foot outside this campus." Hibari said lowly as he walked toward the petite freshman.

Tsuna watched as Hibari came closer to him and although, he knew it was a bad idea to stand there, the protagonist couldn't budge. Fearing the consequences of further angering the disciplinarian made the brunette's feet stick to the floor. He was like a deer in headlights, unable to leap out of harm's way. Yet, Tsuna felt that perhaps it was better this way. By playing the martyr, Hibari would concentrate his murderous intent on him instead of, Yamamoto or anyone else.

"You're my prey." The dark haired upperclassmen stated coldly as he stopped in front of Tsuna. The brunette jumped as he saw a glimmer of silver. The prefect had taken out one of his tonfas for emphasis. Hibari wasn't planning to hit Tsuna, but he wanted to make sure that his prey understood him. He then threatened, "You are not allowed to crowd with those herbivores. And if I do catch you with them, I'll bite them all to death."

"Hibari-san…" The brunette whispered to the prefect.

Chapter end

Doki doki – Japanese sound for heartbeat

The dialogue in the brackets ( ) – I couldn't help myself. I was thinking this as I was writing Byakuran's scene. But I placed it in brackets, so that I didn't disrupt the flow, but it needed to be there since the dialogue lightened up the serious mood.

* * *

Author's note:

I'm doing a poll for Tsuna's outfit for the maid café. The poll is located on my profile. So, be sure to vote. The choices are Bondage Catboy, Chinese Courtesan, Demon Butler, Angelic Lolita, Shota Prince and Victorian Brat. Random and other are also choices in the poll. If random receives the most votes, then I will select an outfit by random. In the case of other, if none of the choices please you and you have an even better suggestion, please PM or write it in a review. The poll will close when chapter seventeen is released, so that should be ample time for everyone to vote.

As for this chapter, I hope everyone liked it. I think I put a lot in one chapter, but I feel it's still enjoyable. Please show your love for my work my reviewing. It gives me power! And if you have any suggestion please, feel free to express them….as long as good intentions are behind them. Thank you Mithras151 for checking this chapter!!!


	15. Tsuna the Irresistible

Hungry Tsuna

A Katekyo Hitman Reborn Fanfiction

Disclaimer: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn, All rights reserved to Akira Amano.

Edited by Mithras151 on August 11. 2009

Chapter Fifteen: Tsuna the Irresistible

"Hibari-san." Tsuna frowned at the prefect. It was hard to stand his ground against someone so intimidating, but the brunette knew this was how Hibari worked. Through fear and force, Hibari could make anyone bow to his will. And though, in most cases, Tsuna would allow that to happen, the brunette could not allow it to happen this time. He had finally come to a decision as to how to handle the weird things that had been going on in his life, and he wasn't going to let Hibari rip it all into shreds. "You're being unreasonable."

"I don't care." The prefect replied indifferently.

"Why are you so against this?" Tsuna began, his hands clenched at his sides. Tsuna's warm brown eyes looking straight at the raven haired menace with a mixture of feelings swirling within him. He was angry that Hibari was stopping him, confused as to why the other was opposing his decision and lastly, frightened to stand up to a person who would bash his head in without a second thought. Tsuna then continued, not thinking about what was being said, but overpowered by the liberating feeling of getting his emotions off his chest. "Why does it matter that I'm going out with other people? Hibari-san, you say that I am your prey; you say it as if it means something, but I don't know what you mean. What am I to you, Hibari-san?"

The dark-haired disciplinarian was taken aback by the brunette's words. He had expected Tsuna to crumble under his wrath and give up. But, even from the beginning, the brunette had had a tendency to question his ways. It was that occasional fire in Tsuna that he liked the most. The prefect stared at the freshman blankly, unable to convey the reasons for his jealousy and his opposition to the brunette being with others. Hibari had always kept his feelings tightlipped and he wasn't ready to be open about anything, his feelings least of all.

It took Tsuna a few moments to realize what he had just uttered. His cheeks turned a deep shade of red, Tsuna realizing the intimate things he had asked the prefect. He was about to take back his words when he felt a familiar presence looming around them. Unconsciously, Tsuna stepped closer to Hibari, knowing that the other would protect him. In the same respect, the dark haired disciplinarian's fingers tighten on his tonfas upon realizing the identity of the intruder as well.

"Kufufu. You might as well hold your breath, Tsunayoshi-kun. He'll never admit it." Mukuro's voice echoed from the other side of the hall. The vibrations of the other's voice bouncing off the walls of the empty hallway was enough to send shivers down the brunette's spine and set Hibari's blood a boil.

"Mukuro?" Tsuna breathed, watching as the mischief maker walked up to them.

The illusionist offered with an "up to no good" grin. "I can answer that question for you, if you like."

The small boy raised an eyebrow. "You?"

The devilish delinquent grin grew wider but his mismatched eyes were trained on the irritated prefect behind Tsuna. He then responded very slowly. "After all, I do enjoy _our_ little encounters, Tsunayoshi-kun."

"Well, I don't." The freshman said under his breath.

To Tsuna, Mukuro was no different from Hibari-san. However, the brunette was smart enough to never express his opinion in front of them, knowing the consequences of such a stupid action. Whatever it was, the concealed thoughts or the unspoken truths, neither of the pair had verbally voiced their feelings to the brunette. And to avoid expressing it, they just tried to manipulate the brunette into bending to their own wills. They both had different reasons for this masking of motives, but ultimately, the goal was the same. It was starting to turn into a tug of war, and he was the rope that each opponent pulled on. Tsuna was getting tired of it, especially since he was still unsure of his own feelings. What was he to Hibari and Mukuro? Tsuna frowned realizing that, perhaps, he didn't mean anything to them at all. Even thinking of that possibility made his heart ache.

"Leave." Hibari demanded.

Mukuro only shrugged his shoulders at the command. "Why? Don't like the competition?"

The sparks were flying and it was clear that a fight was bound to break out. In terms of self-preservation, Tsuna did not want to be anywhere near the two when it did happen. The freshman slowly began to inch away from the two, thinking that it would be a good time to leave.

"Oh no, Tsunayoshi-kun. You're not walking away from me this time." The illusionist said as he hooked an arm around the petite freshman's waist. With little effort, the midnight haired demon managed to drag the smaller boy back to him, pressing Tsuna's body against his.

"Eep!" Tsuna squeaked in shock.

Hibari stepped toward the pair and ordered. "Unhand the herbivore."

Mukuro's lecherous gaze shifted to the seething prefect. The illusionist enticed the prefect. "And if I don't?"

"I'll bite you to death." The dark haired upperclassman threatened, looking ready to tear the illusionist's head off.

"Come now, Hibari. We both know you're not capable of making good on your threat." Mukuro teased, but his taunting only aggravated the prefect even more. Although, it was fun to rile the other up, it would get Mukuro nowhere. The illusionist decided to focus on his main goal, instead of antagonizing Hibari, he could use him. The midnight haired delinquent's hands ran up from the brunette's waist and then gripped to the smaller boy's shoulder. Mukuro then lowered his head, close to Tsuna's cheek. He ignored the brunette's heated cheek and eyed the prefect with his heterochromatic gaze. "You want him as badly as I do? We can share him."

"What?!" Exclaimed Tsuna.

The illusionist couldn't help grinning at the brunette's comical response to his proposal. Mukuro began leveling with the prefect. "Listen, Hibari. It's not a bad deal. I don't ask for much. All I want is the leftovers. You can take the first bite."

Looking from Hibari to Mukuro, Tsuna realized that he was in a dangerous predicament. By the gleam of the enforcer's blue eyes, he knew that Mukuro's deal did interest Hibari. Although, Hibari maintained a perfect face of ennui, his eyes spoke for him. Within those blue depths, the brunette saw a frightening desire. Since Mukuro had uttered his offer, the prefect had not spoken a word. His lips pursed shut, contemplating what the illusionist laid out on the table for him. To Tsuna's mortification, it seemed as if the prefect was considering the illusionist's offer, and that was bad news for him. Tsuna knew that barely stood a chance against Mukuro and Hibari individually, but if they were to team up, he was done for. Before, Hibari could be further persuaded by the illusionist, Tsuna decided to speak up. "Hibari-san! He's just playing mind games!"

"Am I? Perhaps, Tsunayoshi would like the play with someone else." Mukuro mentioned, letting Tsuna know that he also knew about his plans with Yamamoto.

Finding that the tables were flipped, the brunette quickly replied, "No, that's not it."

It was the mere mention of the topic that unearthed Hibari's jealousy. The predator was able to wake himself out of Mukuro's disillusionment, the ignition of his fury being the mere thought of Tsuna crowding with others, beside him. The prefect charged toward the illusionist and Tsuna. In one quick flash, he managed to yank Tsuna from the midnight haired demon's grasp and place one of his steel tonfas at the Illusionist's throat. "I don't share Tsunayoshi with anyone. He's mine."

"Kufufu. You and that caveman's mentality, Hibari." Mukuro said as he jumped back quick enough to dodge Hibari's death blow. He smirked at the irate prefect. "I wasn't planning on sharing either."

"I'll bite you to death!" The prefect declared venomously as he rushed the illusionist.

"Why so aggressive?" Mukuro quickly blocked Hibari's swipe with his trident, which miraculously materialized itself into his hands. The prefect was pushing very hard against his weapon but the force of Hibari's attack didn't budge the dark haired delinquent. "Are you afraid that Tsunayoshi will be taken from you? Seems like he's shopping around for someone better. That Yamamoto Takeshi is probably a lot more fun than you are."

"Quiet!" Hibari hissed as he used his other tonfa to strike at Mukuro.

"Don't want to hear the truth?" Mukuro managed to dodge the weapon and spin the staff of his trident out of the lock. He then blocked another of the prefect's swipes with ease. "Could the fearless Hibari Kyouya really be that anxious?"

"Shut up!" Hibari ordered, his heart racing, mind blank, and eyes wide. His movements became even faster, performing a series of attacks upon the smirking illusionist. Unlike in the beginning of their fight, Mukuro was having difficulty keeping up the prefect's movements. Hibari's movements had been predictable, just a moment ago, but for some reason his movements were not as coordinated. Usually, when someone became angered, it placed a damper on their fighting ability. Anger clouded the mind and making one's decisions irrational. Yet, the fearsome predator thrived in battle the more irritated he became.

No matter his knowledge, Mukuro still kept up his defense, though it was becoming harder to evade the feral upperclassmen's onslaught. Out of nowhere an attack came from his right and he was unable to block it. Hibari's tonfa slammed into Mukuro's cheek. Both Tsuna and Mukuro were in shock that Hibari actually landed a hit.

"Mukuro!" Shouted Tsuna as he watched the illusionist receive the blow. He then quickly covered his mouth as Hibari sent an icy glare in his direction. The brunette didn't mean to anger Hibari, but he couldn't hide his concern for Mukuro.

Mukuro held his bruised cheek tenderly but despite the injury, he was still pretty satisfied by how things were unfolding. The illusionist smirked at Hibari, triumphantly and then shifted his gaze to the worried boy. "It's only a scratch, Tsunayoshi."

Hibari fumed. How could Tsuna call out that bastard's name?! He was going through so much trouble to protect the herbivore and he betrayed him so easily? Later, he would punish Tsuna for that outburst, but now he need to take care off the heterochromatic miscreant in front of him. "Rokudo Mukuro, back off or I'll kill you."

Mukuro raised an eyebrow at Hibari's threat. Usually, the prefect would say "bite", but since Hibari said "kill", Mukuro knew the other boy viewed him as dangerous. Hibari only used his trademark catchphrase when he was sure he would win and this departure from the phrase signified the prefect's uncertainty. Nonetheless, Mukuro brushed off the warning; he wasn't planning to back off anytime soon. "Like murder would give you some brownie points."

Hibari countered. "No, but I'll finally be rid of you."

"Am I that much in your way?" The midnight blue haired demon grinned as he began to back away. He served his purpose and, somehow, got what he came for. He carefully walked backwards watching to see if the prefect would try to attack him, but to his surprise Hibari stood his ground. His mismatched eyes shifted briefly to Tsuna. "Take care, Tsunayoshi."

After Mukuro's departure, the hallway became silent. For a while, Tsuna and Hibari did not speak a word and only stood in place. Tsuna wondered if Hibari was thinking about what Mukuro had said. The brunette began to consider those words as well. Was the prefect that concerned about losing him? Was he so important to the other that Hibari actually feared losing him? Tsuna was not one to think highly of himself, especially when it came to Hibari, but he wondered why going out with Yamamoto and Mukuro's taunting mattered to the older boy? Not being able to stand the awkward silence between them, the brunette opted to try to apologize for his actions.

"I must be giving Hibari-san a lot of trouble." Tsuna's remorseful voice resonated in the empty hallway.

Not turning to look at the smaller boy, the prefect remarked. "Yes…you do give me a lot of trouble."

_Brat!_ The brunette thought acidly. Tsuna glowered at Hibari. "Then why do you bother with me?"

The dark haired delinquent turned to the brunette, making the younger student tense a bit.

The prefect walked over to him, but the other's strides seemed very much like a predator stalking a prey. Tsuna panicked thinking Hibari was going to hit him. When the dark haired boy was within reach the brunette closed his eyes tightly and braced himself for a beating. Hibari ignored the smaller boy's stupidity, lifting his hand up towards Tsuna, his pale hands hovering over the brunette's slim neck. The prefect's fingers lightly drifted over, the now healed, bite mark he had given the brunette a while ago. Although healed, he still managed to leave a visible imprint on the freshman's skin. Realizing that Hibari was not going to strike him, Tsuna's eyes opened slowly meeting blue-grey eyes.

"You're mine. The proof is here." Hibari said in a low voice as he traced over the bite mark. The light touch made Tsuna shiver, just a bit. The prefect's voice dropped even lower and deeper. "No one is allowed to touch you, but me."

"But, Hibari-san was the one who decided that. That mark doesn't mean anything to me." Tsuna defended. Although, Hibari felt that he owned him, Tsuna didn't feel the same. The bite mark was just one of those crazy things Hibari did. It wasn't any expression of endearment to him. Nor was it a validation of his feelings for Hibari, or vice versa. He tried to make the prefect understand what he was doing. Perhaps, if Hibari knew his reason for going on a date with Yamamoto, maybe the prefect would be more cooperative. "You're like a mystery, but I would like to understand you better. That's why I'm making an effort by going on dates with everyone, to get to know them better."

"No." The upperclassmen said sternly. The prefect's blue-grey eyes pooling into his tawny gaze. Hibari's stare made the smaller boy nervous. It felt as if he was looking into the eyes of a predator. It was almost as if Hibari was eying a defenseless rabbit rather than a Namimori student. The disciplinary prefect's fixation on him was hungry, not for blood or battle, but for Tsuna.

Tsuna found it hard to find his voice. He stammered, dodging Hibari's leer. "T-then I'll just do it behind your back."

Tsuna began to step away from the older student. He didn't like the way he was looking at him and would feel better if they had some distance between them. The brunette also noticed that the hallway was unusually quiet, and no one had walked pass in a while. It was odd to the freshman that such a high traffic area did not have at least one student walking through. Mukuro had interrupted them, but the illusionist's method of travel was unorthodox. If there was any kind of obstruction, Tsuna was positive that wouldn't stop Mukuro from appearing where he desired. The brunette's musings stilled as he bumped into a wall. His eyes widened with the revelation that he was trapped. Before, Tsuna could come away from the surface; the prefect was already upon him, hindering him from leaving. The prefect nearly laughed at the panicked expression upon Tsuna's face. "I told you already that you'll never get past."

"I can try." The brunette said, his eyes were trained on the boy in front of him.

"It'll be a futile effort." Unhurriedly, the raven haired disciplinarian placed his arms on either side of the frightened boy, knowing that Tsuna was trapped under his gaze. Like a deer in head lights, he was frozen, unable to move, unable to think. "Plus, your friends will only get hurt. I've already put them infirmary once, and I'll do it as many times as is necessary until you get the message."

"Then, I would hate you." Warned the brunette, hoping that would scare Hibari. .

To Tsuna's chagrin, Hibari shrugged off the freshman's threat and breathed against the smaller boy's lips. "So?"

From that Tsuna gathered that Hibari would stop at nothing until he got his way. The freshman wondered why the prefect wanted to assure himself that he was Hibari's. Tsuna didn't get the time to ponder as his mind was wiped clean by a very ravenous kiss from Hibari. The prefect's lips pressed down upon his own in a bruising pressure that made Tsuna squeak from the violent force of it. Both pain and pleasure burned the brunette's lips as Hibari roughly pressed into them. After a while, the brunette cried out, as he was losing the feeling in his lips. The strangled sound was music to the prefect's ears. It only pressed him to continue further. There this wanton desire to hear more vulnerable sounds emitted from his prey. He relaxed against Tsuna's lips, giving the other some relief but he didn't draw away too far, his warm breath still ghosted over the smaller boy's lips. The brunette touched his sore lips, making sure they were still there. "Hibari-san…you're too rough."

The dark haired prefect smirked at Tsuna and then he leaned in placing another bruising kiss against the freshman's aching lips. However, the prefect became kinder towards Tsuna, gliding his tongue along his bruised mouth. The brunette cringed at first, the action only made his raw lips sting, but soon, Hibari's wet, hot organ soothed the pain of his aching mouth. Tsuna sighed against the gesture. Yet, it wasn't Hibari's character to cater to the needs of others. He did want Tsuna to enjoy his caresses, but at the same time, Hibari wanted to do things to Tsuna that would cause him pain. His needs were animalistic, something an herbivore would not understand or be too afraid to venture. Even if this was the case, it did not stop Hibari from carrying out his desires. He crashed his lips against Tsuna's, forcefully parting his lips, and then mercilessly the prefect bit down on Tsuna's lower lip breaking skin. The brunette jolted up from the sudden nip; he hadn't been expecting such a thing at all.

The metallic, salty taste of Tsuna's blood aroused the prefect, making him bold. Without warning, the disciplinarian plunged his tongue into Tsuna's mouth. The coppery tastes of his own blood filled his mouth via the prefect's tongue. The brunette thought he would be disgusted by the taste of his own blood but the substance had an opposite effect. The metallic taste called him to action, coaxing the inexperienced boy to meet his own tongue with Hibari's. Tsuna had responded the same way with Byakuran's sugar-coated tongue, he couldn't get enough of how the prefect tasted or the sensation that he felt when his tongue met with the other. Unconsciously, the brown haired prey leaned into the prefect, demanding more of the predator. The disciplinarian was surprised by Tsuna's sudden boldness, but was quick to extinguish it when his power was threatened. Hibari promptly bit the freshman's tongue, reminding Tsuna that he was running the show. The freshman compliantly backed down, giving Hibari back his dominance. He didn't mean to outshine the other; Tsuna was just really enjoying the kiss.

Tsuna sagged against the wall as the prefect soothed his bitten tongue, the mixture of pain and pleasure was making his knees buckle. The brown-haired morsel shuddered as the upperclassmen flicked his tongue along the top of his mouth. Hibari moved into the smaller boy, his body lightly pressing against Tsuna's body. His left knee squeezed in between Tsuna's knees, pushing them apart. Hibari's prey hummed into the kiss as Hibari's knee brushed against his inner thigh. The simple caress made the brunette very warm inside. The predator's appendage brushed against him again and he couldn't help but spill a throaty moan. Embarrassed by the sounds emitting from him, Tsuna broke the kiss with Hibari and pursed his mouth closed. The prefect frowned at the brunette, disappointed that he was shut out of tasting Tsuna. However, Hibari found another way to satiate his appetite for the petite freshman. The predator brought his mouth to the other's neck, nibbling on his prey's flesh.

The brunette struggled very hard not to respond to this. His stomach was doing flips, his temperature was rising higher, it was getting harder to breath and the lack of oxygen to his brain made it difficult to think. His body and mind were so far gone that he couldn't even remember his own name. However, Tsuna came back to his senses when a surreptitious hand began pulling his uniform shirt out of his pants.

"Hibari-san." The brunette panted. He shuddered as the prefect shifted his knee closer to his groin. The weird sensation Tsuna had felt when Byakuran had touched him was beginning to pool below his stomach. The pooling warmth made it hard for him to think straight. The prefect disregarded the smaller boy's cries; he wasn't satisfied yet. His tongue glided along Tsuna's collarbone and over the spot where he had given Tsuna the bite mark. Hibari's hands began to slip pass the rim on his pants and touched the band of his boxers. The helpless boy started to get nervous.

"Hibari-san…please..st- Ah!" Tsuna eyes went wide as Hibari roughly rubbed his thigh into his nether regions. His mouth fixated into an 'o', emitting a silent scream of pleasure. His body was getting warmer and he was rocked with this unfamiliar sensation that was threatening to bring him to his knees. This needed to stop, Hibari was going too far. The brunette mustered all of his strength and focused it into one point. His hands flattened onto the prefect's chest and pushed the dark haired upperclassmen a few steps away from him. He brought his head down too afraid to look the other in the eyes but his voice spoke enough volumes to make up for it. "STOP!"

Tsuna didn't have to look at Hibari to know he was angry. The brunette shivered as he felt the tendrils of the prefect's rage scorching him. Asking for forgiveness and understanding, the freshman bowed. "I-I'm sorry, but…."

"…..." Hibari said nothing as he drifted away from the smaller boy's grasp. The dark haired predator was wondering why he had obeyed Tsuna's order for him to stop. No one had the right to order him around, but….in Tsuna's case, he had complied without lashing out. For now, he allowed it to slip. Hibari's blue eyes shifted to the brunette, who was leaning against the wall, catching his breath while his skin was still flushed from their intimacy. The prefect delighted himself in the knowledge that he had been the one who had left Tsuna breathless and that he was also responsible for his prey's feverish skin. Seeing this gave the uncertain prefect a bit more confidence on his standing with the brunette. The prefect commented. "You may go, Tsunayoshi."

Tsuna looked up, confused on what Hibari was speaking of. "Come again?"

Hibari whirled around, glaring at the freshman for being so stupid! The prefect snarled as he clarified. "With that herbivore."

"I thought you were against it?" Said the brunette as he stood up straight and looked at the prefect incredulously.

"I am," Hibari said as he moved close to Tsuna. Burying his nose into the smaller boy's neck and then nibbling on the other's flesh. The prefect wasn't satisfied until the other whined under his touch and then he drew away. Hibari wasn't sure why he listened to Tsuna's command, but he was assured of one thing…"But I know that no one else can satisfy you like I can."

_Hibari's a closet pervert! _Tsuna could only respond to such a blatant account within the dimensions of his mind. The brunette was baffled by how the prefect managed to say such a thing with a straight face. Wasn't it against the order of discipline to do obscene things to a guy? Or did Hibari not apply to this, to any, sense of decency?

"Plus, you wouldn't allow anyone else to get further." Hibari stated, peering at the younger boy with an arctic, strict look. He wasn't asking Tsuna, but demanding of Tsuna that he _would not_ let anyone get further.

Scared shitless, Tsuna coincided with the prefect's statement. "R-right."

"Good." Hibari dismissed the topic by yawning into his hand. He then descended down to the ground, roughly yanking his brown haired prey to his level. Predictably, Tsuna's descent was less than graceful. The freshman groaned as he hit the floor harshly, rubbing his thigh which was hit the hardest. However, this did not matter to Hibari at all. He was tired and he was in need of sleep. He hadn't been able to get any sleep lately; he partially blamed his insomnia on Tsuna, as well as the rebellious and undisciplined student body. The dark haired prefect nested himself on the brunette's lap, stretching out his body on the hallway floor.

"H-hibari-san, what are you doing?" Tsuna stammered as he watched the prefect use his body as a makeshift pillow.

"I'm tired." He said, eyes closed and relaxed.

_But, why sleep on me?! And in the middle of the hallway, too?!_ Tsuna pondered.

As if Hibari read his mind, the predator answered. "Because you yelled out _that thing's_ name."

The brunette opened his mouth ready to apologize, but closed it knowing it would not make amends for his offense. Instead, he surrendered to Hibari, figuring this was a light punishment for how he had wronged the prefect. "Oh? Sleep well, then."

Hibari didn't need to be told twice, he was already drifting away into a deep sleep. The brunette sighed, watching the vicious prefect slumber away on his lap. Although, Hibari's punishment did not seem harsh at first, he began to realize the cons of the situation. Both of them were out in the open, in a hallway, where everyone could see them. Plus, the floor was pretty hard and cold. His small body was already getting sore from the stillness of his position and the added weight upon his legs. Tsuna was sure he was going to be feeling this in the morning.

Tsuna stiffened as he heard rustling from one of the ends of the hallway. His large eyes turned to the hallway's end, afraid that a student was approaching them. However, Tsuna saw no one emerge from the other side. Instead, he saw a flash of red and gold. When he turned back to Hibari and saw his disciplinary committee armband, it dawned upon him that at the end of the hall was Hibari's men. From this, Tsuna gathered the reason why a student hadn't come across them was due to the disciplinary committee members blocking anyone from coming. Condoning the fact that Hibari had deliberately cornered him, Tsuna found Hibari's actions very endearing. Hibari had a very forceful way of dealing with things, but at least the brunette knew that the prefect cared. It wasn't a confession, something he doubted he would ever hear from the other's lips, but in Tsuna's opinion it was good enough.

A bolt came out of the blue, making the brunette blush a crimson red. Did the disciplinary committee witness what happened between him and Hibari? Tsuna was starting to feel more self conscious as time went on, thinking that Hibari's men heard him making all those weird sounds. It was so embarrassing; he didn't think he would be able to face any of the committee in person after doing soft-core porn in front of them. Unbeknownst to the brunette, who was suffering from humiliation and regret, a small smirk appeared on the sleepy predator's mouth, glad that Tsuna was receiving a severe punishment. However, the constant fidgeting that Tsuna made due to his embarrassment bothered Hibari immensely. "Quit moving or I'll bite you to death."

* * *

A lone figure walked a familiar road. It had been a long time since he had visited this city, walking through this quiet neighborhood made him nostalgic of the memories he had made here. This was the place where he had had to leave his family to work. He knew that his wife would unconditionally love him, but from his son, whom he had disappeared on, the man did not expect that his offspring would show the same sentiment. He sighed heavily, a man had to make hard choices and something those choices meant hurting the people close to him.

As the man neared his home, the figure began to think up scenarios in which he could approach his son and explain to him the reason for his absence. However, nothing suitable came to mind. He could not tell his son the truth about his line of work, and he was very bad at lying. He was very surprised that after all these years his wife actually thought he was off "mining". Bless the good woman's pure soul. However, he was positive that his son was not as oblivious, but that didn't stop him from hoping.

He stood upon the threshold of his house, hesitating to ring the doorbell. Then some fire of determination forced him to push the mechanism, causing him to forget that he still had the key. Ringing the doorbell was a clear indication of his own estrangement from his own residence. People who lived there did not need to ring; they possessed a key because they had the right to enter without being permitted. He fumbled through his clothing and found his house key. The silver key was dusty and tarnished with dirt. Its appearance was proof that it had not been used in sometime. The stranger placed the object into the lock and let himself in.

"Who could it be at this hour?" A tired Nana yawned into her hand as she walked out her bedroom and down the stairs to the front door. As she descended down the stairs, she heard the door open and then close. Surprised, Nana carefully called through the darkness. "Hello?"

The man tensed at the sound of the soft voice. He looked into the dark hallway to see a woman on the stairs, gazing at him. He smiled heartily. "I'm home, Nana."

Nana's brown eyes widened at the sound of the familiar voice. The brown haired woman walked down the stairs to get a better look, she had to see with her own eyes if this was truly her husband. She then slowly smiled at the handsome figure in front of her. She raced up to him and embraced the blonde man. "Iemitsu dear, is it really you?"

"I'm back." Confirmed Iemitsu as he hugged his ecstatic wife to him. He then pulled back, giving the woman a long awaited kiss. He hadn't seen his wife in ages and he had been dying to see her, to touch her and just be with her.

"Oh, why didn't you tell me you were coming earlier?" Nana pulled away from her husband, realizing that there was no food for him to eat. She had prepared a meager dinner for herself, and such a simple meal didn't cut it for the love of her life. "I could have cooked papa a huge meal."

Iemitsu grinned at the joyous greeting he received from his wife and he watched as the flighty woman raced into the kitchen to prepare food for him. As he walked into the kitchen, the brown haired housewife was already reheating some pots and beginning to cook fresh food. Although, he didn't mind being doted on, he was still considerate about the time of night he walked in. Wasn't his wife just sleeping? He crept up behind her, wrapping a strong arm around her waist, making the Nana jump and blush. "You don't have to go through the trouble." He said.

Nana turned to Iemitsu, her cheeks still rosy from the little scare. "But, you had a long journey. Papa is probably starving and tired."

"Your leftovers are fine, enough." Iemitsu said, running one of his hands through his wife's brown hair. He then looked into her eyes adoringly. How he missed looking into Nana's eyes. He then grinned merrily. "I just need a few bottles of sake."

Nana stopped what she was doing and went to get some. She had stored some of the best, just for her husband's return. "Anything for you, dear."

Iemitsu took a seat at the empty kitchen table. As he looked at three vacant chairs, he began to wonder how many meals he had missed with his wife and son. His eyes brightened as he saw his wife coming with a few large bottles of sake. As she handed him the bottle, he quickly chugged half of its content to get rid of his guilt. He then looked to his wife. "Where's my strapping boy? Is he sleeping now?"

"Tsu-kun's away at school." The brown-haired housewife answered as she went back to preparing a meal for Iemitsu.

"Oh, really?" The blonde said, feeling very proud of his son. "Careful, Nana, your son might come back with a wife."

Nana laughed at Iemitsu but informed him of what kind of school Tsuna was attending. "Oh wouldn't that be nice, but I sent Tsu-kun to an all boy's school."

"Hanging with the guys, eh? That'll give him some hair on his chest." Iemitsu smirked; his son was doing very well. He was just a bit disappointed that he didn't get a chance to see his son grow into a man. From within, he grew an urge to see how his son has grown so far. He wondered if his son had become really smart or extremely strong. Was he a ladies' man or a hopeless romantic? Had he grown taller, or instead, bulked up physically? So many questions popped into his mind. He truly wanted to know these things and felt like a horrible father for not knowing the answers to any of these questions. He took another swig of the alcoholic drink to end his thought process.

"I thought Tsu-kun could use the experience. Perhaps, he can become just like his father." Nana considered pensively as she chopped up vegetables with skill. She then paused in her workings to recall the school her son attended. "What was the school called again? Namimori, I believe."

At the sound of the name, Iemitsu spat out the sake he was about to guzzle down. His brown eyes were filled with shock and dread. "What?!"

Nana turned to her husband and inquired. "Is something wrong?"

The blonde swallowed hard as he dared to ask. "What school is Tsuna going to?"

"Namimori." His wife replied blithely. She then turned back to her cooking, not realizing the bombshell she had dropped on her husband. Along with some grilled fish, a pork stew and steamed crab, she was also making her husband a hearty breakfast. It was 3 in the morning, after all. She then turned to her husband as she set the rice into the steamer. "I was really surprised when I got the letter. I don't remember applying and Tsu-kun isn't the brightest boy, I knew he wasn't selected because of his grades. So I wondered why this school would seek him out, but I thought it could be a good opportunity for Tsu-kun."

Iemitsu was only half listening to his wife. His mind was racing a mile a minute, wondering how Tsuna had gained an invitation from that school and why he hadn't been informed. The blonde brooded over this development for a few moments, trying to figure out a way to get his son out of there. He then turned to his wife, who was blissfully frying some wieners into a frying pan and cutting them into octopi. "Nana, how would you like to go see how Tsuna is doing?"

The jovial woman turned to Iemitsu, her eyes so wide as if he had told her they won the lottery or some sweepstake. "Papa, do you mean…"

"Yes, we're going to Namimori." He declared, giving Nana his charismatic grin but in the inside he was fuming with rage. Once he arrived at Namimori, he was sure to give _that guy_ a piece of his mind, and also get his son the hell out of there.

* * *

The young brunette strolled down the hallway. The sky was blue, there was not a cloud in sight, the sun was bright, the day was beautiful. And to top off such a beautiful day, it was a Sunday, meaning no classes! Sundays at Namimori were usually very carefree. Much of the student body walked around the school grounds in casual attire taking in the warm weather. The raining season was approaching, as well as the inferno that was summer, so a lot of students took advantage of the comfortable weather conditions.

Tsuna had dressed in a white T-shirt, an orange long sleeve hooded sweatshirt with a dark blue number 27 stitched into the back, dark blue jeans and simple brown sneakers. Although Tsuna had not tried hard at all, he still managed to gain glances from his fellow classmates. These looks were unnerving to the freshman, they made him feel self-conscious and alienated. Which was the reason, Tsuna decided, that he had left the dorms and decided to spend time outside. The brunette ambled across the lush green grass that blanketed the campus. The popular boy reached the back of the lecture building, when he was alerted to a familiar voice calling his improvised title. "Tenth!"

Tsuna turned to his friend as he hurriedly walked up to him. Today, Gokudera had turned in his school uniform for a black t-shirt with a bloody image of a skull and crossbones and plain white pants. Around his silver haired guardian's waist was a spiked brown belt that hung on his hips. On the bomber's feet were black and white sneakers. Gokudera's usual rings and wrist band were also paired up with the look. His friend's shaggy hair was also pulled into a ponytail. Tsuna had to admit that the bomber was really good looking. Gokudera knew how to dress well, he was smart, and very loyal. If Tsuna had been back in junior high school, he was sure Gokudera would never talk to him. The bomber probably would bully him. Tsuna considered himself lucky to have gained the other's attention….wait a minute, was he checking his friend out? What was happening to him? Perhaps, the good weather was getting to him.

Tsuna greeted his friend, beginning to walk again. "Gokudera. Nice day, huh?"

"Yep." Gokudera agreed as he followed. It was a nice day, too nice of a day for him to miss the opportunity of walking around with the tenth. He had spotted the brunette from the sky dorms and raced over.

"Sorry, I didn't meet up with you and Yamamoto after the assembly. I had a lot of things on my mind."

"Tenth must've been worried about the maid café. They forced you to do it, didn't they?" Gokudera inquired accusingly.

_They did, but…_ Tsuna thought to himself but decided that it would be wiser not to mention it at all. The brunette shook his head and beamed at his silver haired companion. "It's okay, Gokudera. As the school mascot, it's kind of my job. I don't mind doing it." The freshman watched as Gokudera accepted his answer and, since they were on the topic, Tsuna was very curious on what the bomber voted for. "Have you voted for my costume, yet?"

"Well…actually…I choose the angel one for you." Gokudera stated slowly, becoming bashful from the brunette's inquiry. Suddenly, the silver haired boy jolted out of his shy demeanor and announced. "But, I think all the choices would look nice on the tenth."

"Byakuran-san and Spanner-san thought of all the costumes ideas." Tsuna admitted with a slight reddening to his cheeks. He would never get use to people complimenting him on how good he would look in his mascot costumes. Then again, was he ever supposed to, and should he even accept it as a compliment? The brunette slipped from her mental reverie to notice Gokudera's frowning face. He had to back track their conversation to find the root of the other's scowl. However, Gokudera beat him to it, showing his dislike for the student president by cursing his name. Still, Tsuna asked the obvious. "You don't like the president?"

Gokudera's emerald green eyes shifted over to the brunette, the hard glare with daggers for the student president, softened. "I just don't trust him around you."

Tsuna frowned at his friend's distrust of Byakuran. To his knowledge, Gokudera had never met the student president in order to judge his character. From spending a lot of time with the white haired president, and even confiding in him, Tsuna could not see the president as less than trustworthy. "Byakuran-san is a bit eccentric, but he's very kind and he looks out for me." Tsuna defended.

Gokudera was going to tell Tsuna what Dino had said about that clown of a president, but held his tongue. He was already showing Tsuna a very ugly side of himself, and the bomber could tell that Tsuna didn't appreciate him badmouthing a friend of his. The walk became awkwardly silent, and Gokudera was becoming even more remorseful with each step. He was about to apologize to the brunette when the freshman turned to him.

"I guess, Gokudera is the same." Tsuna said softly. The brunette knew that Gokudera was only looking out for him, and that the bomber didn't mean any harm. "You're always so protective of me and you treat me so preciously. You must really care for me, a lot."

"Tenth…" The self-proclaimed guardian breathed. "You…?"

Tsuna stared expectantly at his companion, stopping in his tracks. "Yes, Gokudera?"

Gokudera looked at his crush, seriously. He stepped very close to Tsuna. His voice calm, but low enough for Tsuna's ears to hear it. "You know, don't you? That I really like you."

Tsuna could not look at the other's intense green eyes without turning beet red. He looking down at his feet and rocked nervously on his heels. Although Gokudera was always this passionate, Tsuna couldn't handle himself at this moment in front of the bomber's intense emotions. He pulled himself together and prepared himself to say the words Gokudera had been dying to hear. He then replied in the same tone as Gokudera's. "I'm sorry, Gokudera. I didn't notice it earlier. But I'm still unsure of my own feelings."

"It's okay, Tenth. I'm just happy that you acknowledge them." His obedient friend said happily.

Although, Tsuna was happy to hear that his friend was very pleased, it didn't sit well with him. He truly didn't believe Gokudera would be satisfied by that, either. And to be honest, the brunette was also discontent. Tsuna was going to wait till after his date with Yamamoto, but he felt this would be the best time as any. No one was here and it seemed to be the proper thing to do. Tsuna blurted out. "Gokudera, do you want to go on a date with me?"

A pin drop silence swept over them. The bomber just looked at Tsuna stunned and Tsuna looked about ready to run away from this embarrassing predicament all together. The brunette watched Gokudera carefully as the bomber's expressions flowed from astonishment to elation. "Of course, tenth! I'll love to!"

Tsuna released a breath that he had been holding. Confessions and courting were bad for his heart, but all of that was worth it for his friend's happiness. Now, he felt a little more satisfied than before. Not only had he acknowledged his friends feelings, but he was actually putting in an effort to explore these feelings.

"Yo, Tsuna!" The pair turned to see Dino walking up to them. Gokudera was not pleased to see the blonde and subconsciously stood closer to Tsuna, in case the other tried anything funny. The brunette ignored Gokudera's over-protectiveness and greeted the upperclassmen.

"Dino-san…." He forced a smile despite the hostility emitting from his silver haired companion.

Gokudera spat at Dino. "What the hell are you doing here?"

The charismatic blonde turned to Gokudera. His chocolate brown eyes narrowing slightly, but not enough to form a glare. "I can't say hello to Tsuna?"

"No!" barked the silver haired bomber.

"Gokudera…" Tsuna said in a warning tone.

Ignoring the silver haired attack dog at the brunette's side, Dino focused on Tsuna. "So, you're going to be the head maid, huh?"

"Yeah, I'm kind of afraid to do it. I don't want to mess up." Confessed the brunette although Byakuran had convinced him to do the maid café, he was still nervous about making a fool out of himself.

"Don't be silly, Tsuna. You'll be great and you're not as clumsy as I am." The blonde joked.

Tsuna couldn't help but to smile at Dino's jab at himself. "I guess so. Did you get a chance to choose a costume for me?"

"No, not yet." Dino replied mulling over the options in his head. Although, he did get a chance to check out the choices, he couldn't decide. "There are just too many excellent selections to choose from. You would look good in all of them, in my opinion. But I am leaning towards the angel one."

Gokudera interjected nastily. "Pervert!"

_You selected the same one, Gokudera_! Tsuna commented mentally.

Now, Dino was pissed. He knew Gokudera was being childish and that he shouldn't stoop to his level, but he couldn't help it. "I wonder which one you're choosing, kid dynamite." The charismatic upperclassmen sneered.

"None of your fucking business. All you need to know is that it's better than your choice." Gokudera spat.

_It's the same choice!_ Tsuna screamed in the dimensions of his mind.

The Bucking Horse retorted, "Whatever, man. You probably picked something stupid like unknown or random. Isn't what's more important is for us to win the prize, anyway?"

Tsuna blinked blankly, recalling there was some sort of an award involved. "The prize? Oh right, Byakuran-san never said what that was."

"I'm betting it's a date with you." Dino smirked.

"What?!" Tsuna exclaimed. The brunette hoped that wasn't the prize, he had enough on his plate already.

"Ha! Then I've already won." Gokudera said, victoriously.

Dino raised an eyebrow at Gokudera's triumphant glee and questioned Tsuna. "What is he talking about?"

Tsuna rubbed his arm timidly before explaining. "Well, I asked Gokudera on a date, just now. I even asked Yamamoto."

The terrorist stopped his jubilant ride on cloud nine at hearing that Tsuna had also asked the baseball nut as well. "Huh?"

Tsuna looked guiltily at Gokudera and turned back to Dino. His cheeks were reddening as he formed the words to say to the upperclassmen. "And I was going to ask, Dino-san, as well, but-"

"I accept." The blonde agreed.

Tsuna beamed. "Really?"

"Why would I decline?" The charming upperclassmen said as he ruffled Tsuna's wild hair.

Gokudera pushed Dino's hand away from Tsuna and asked, "But, tenth what about our date?"

"I'm still going on a date with you, Gokudera. I just wanted to give everyone who expressed feelings for me a chance." Tsuna explained to the silver haired guardian.

"What?!"

"Sounds fair." Dino said thoughtfully.

Tsuna frowned at Gokudera's reaction. He was expecting his friend to be against it. Tsuna just hoped Gokudera was more civil than Hibari. "Are you uncomfortable with this?"

Gokudera did have a problem with this, but he kept his opinions to himself. He was willing to do anything for Tsuna if it meant his happiness. He sighed and giving in. He nodded his head, assuring the other that he was not bothered by his choice. "Of course not! The tenth has made a very noble decision."

Tsuna smiled at Gokudera, very happy that he was setting aside his feelings to make this work. As Tsuna was about to thank his silver haired friend for being so understanding, his attention was drawn away by Dino's arm that was wrapped around his slender shoulders. The blonde drew in close to the petite freshman, their noses nearly touching and their eyes glued to each other. "So Tsuna, how about we go on our date, Thursday?"

Tsuna struggled to use his brain. "Um…"

Gokudera brought the small boy down to earth. "Tenth, let's go tomorrow!"

Dino turned to Gokudera, surprised by his choice. He raised an eyebrow. "Tomorrow? That doesn't give you a lot of time to prepare."

Gokudera glared at the blonde bastard. "I don't need to prepare. I'm always ready to show the tenth a good time."

Dino removed his arm from around Tsuna and glared at the idiotic terrorist. "Are you sure about that? If you mess up, you might lose your chance with Tsuna."

Gokudera's eyes burned into suave upperclassmen before him, but the intensity of his gaze began to falter. The bomber looked as if he was beginning to reconsider. As much as he hated to admit it, Dino had a point. This wasn't really a date, it was a test. Tsuna was testing everyone to find out who he liked the most and he had to make sure he didn't fail. Before Gokudera did anything rash, Tsuna spoke up. "Tomorrow is fine, Gokudera. And Dino-san, we'll go on Thursday."

"Can't wait." Dino smiled at Tsuna and headed back towards the Sky dorms. "I'll pick you up at your room. See you, Thursday."

Tsuna looked back to Gokudera, to find that the silver haired guardian had also left. He then spotted Gokudera also heading toward the dormitories. The silver haired guardian called back. "Tomorrow, I promise will be the best date the Tenth has ever had!"

"It's not a contest." Tsuna sighed heavily to himself. Tsuna was hoping that everyone wouldn't compete with each other, but he guessed he should have expected it. The brunette didn't want the best date ever; he just wanted to know everyone better. Tsuna knew it was hard to show oneself in a crowd, so he thought by going on dates, there would be a chance for his friends to relax in his presence and be true to themselves. Perhaps, he was being too hopeful and unrealistic. He was sure when he broke the news to Ryohei, the boxer would follow suit with everyone else, except more extremely. The brunette sighed once more…what had he gotten himself into?

* * *

At the far end of the town of Namimori rested an abandoned inn named Mugen. The Mugen Inn was a dark wooded structure that was reminiscent of the old style inns from a more ancient period in Japanese history. The inn had an interesting history of murder, betrayal, and other acts of deviance. As rumor had it, the inn had closed down after the murder of the owner and his unfaithful wife. Although the inn was never re-opened because of failed attempts to remodel the establishment, it remained a landmark of the town. The Mugen inn was a gem in the town, where a myriad of ghost stories about that particular inn had risen which brought in more tourists to visit the haunted building. It was the ghost sightings and convenience of the place that made the Mugen Inn a hospitable place for Mukuro to live. Mukuro did not fear apparitions, he had seen worse in his lifetime, and the distance from the school could not be beat. Mukuro did have a room at the school, but he never stayed there for long. School was boring, the teachers had nothing unique for him to learn, and he hated the place like cats despised water. So, the illusionist would come to this abandoned inn whenever staying at the school became overwhelming.

Mukuro did not live alone. Two loyal acquaintances always accompanied him, and together, they were able to fix up their temporary home. Mukuro and his companions never stayed in one place for too long. They were not absconding from the authorities, but had come to accept this type of lifestyle over time. Even, when Mukuro was admitted to Namimori, he was antsy about staying walled up in one place. It was new to him to be grounded, and he preferred wandering about, not knowing his destination until he saw it.

Mukuro entered the building through a secret passage that only the trio knew of. The inn was boarded up to keep out curious teenagers and tourist, but Mukuro had managed to create a secret way into the building. The passageway led him to a closet in one of the vacant rooms of the inn. The illusionist slipped into the hallway, leading to the area his companions and he had made their own. The hallways were illuminated by candlelight, adding to the ambiance of the atmosphere. Mukuro followed the candles to the old sitting room/ kitchen. The sitting room light was provided by stolen electricity from a neighbor, as well as the other essential utilities. The room was dressed up with stolen luxuries: a big screen television, a big stereo system, a refrigerator and other tiny luxuries. Beside the dust, the cobwebs and their friendly neighbors, the spiders…the place was pretty homey.

The blue haired delinquent walked further into room, quickly noticing that someone else was in the room. His heterochromatic gaze turned away from the items in the room, to the figure just feet away.

"Mukuro-sama, back so soon." greeted a boy with dark hair, a barcode tattoo on his cheek and spectacles. "I thought you would be out for much longer."

"Kufufu. School was boring so I decided to return a tad early. My early arrival is not too troublesome for you, I hope, Chikusa?" The illusionist asked his associate, walking past him and going into the fridge. Mukuro smiled upon seeing that someone had gone shopping and stockpiled the shelves with goodies. He re-emerged from the fridge door to reveal a half eaten apple to his mouth.

"Of course not. Mukuro-sama can come and go as he wishes." The other said mildly as he pushed his glasses up the rim of his nose. Chikusa noticed the dark bruise on the dark blue haired boy's cheek. Concerned for his leader, he questioned. "Mukuro-sama, what happened?"

"I pissed off a vicious birdie." Mukuro said nonchalantly as he finished off the fruit and tossed the pit into the rubbish bin. He had almost forgotten about the mark. There were times when the bruise would ache, but for the most part, it wasn't a bother. Mukuro was quick to notice the absence of another of his acquaintances. He looked back to Chikusa. "Where's Ken?"

"Taking a bath." The light reflected off of Chikusa's glasses clouding the other's eyes. Their blonde companion was taking a bath, alright. Chikusa personally made sure he chained the feral guy to the shower head, making sure he washed up real good.

Mukuro already had a sadistic image of what kind of perils Ken was enduring. The illusionist laughed as he walked across the sitting room, heading to a different hallway. "Kufufu, sounds fun. I'm turning in for the night."

Chikusa nodded, willingly giving Mukuro the space he needed. He was very aware that space was very important to Mukuro and so he respected that, just as how he emulated the illusionist. Ken, on the other hand, was different. With the loyalty of a canine, he was inconsiderate of Mukuro's need of space, which led to Chikusa taking up the troublesome task of suppressing the blonde. "I'll make sure, Ken keeps quiet."

"Please do." The teen replied as he continued down the hallway. It was a brisk walk until he came upon his own room. His own private quarters were the biggest room in the inn, and although the size of the room didn't really matter to Mukuro, it still had its benefits. The window was boarded up, but in the morning streaks of sunshine managed to peek through, and the cold night air was still able enter. The illusionist made up for the lack of light through a tall modern lamp. The delinquent had a bed, a desk that he rarely used, and even a book shelf filled with books, that he had stolen from the school library, or anywhere books were sold, and a drawer for his clothes. Unlike any other teen, he didn't have posters of his idols or pictures of family and friends. But, Mukuro would not have it any other way.

He flopped on to the bed and relaxed against the cool dark sheets. His eyes stared at the ceiling for a moment until his injury began to sear, even though it had been a couple of days since the birdie had hit him, the injury had become a constant reminder of his own foolishness. Whenever his bruised cheek would ache, he was made to contemplate his reasons for showing up there in the first place. The delinquent made it seem that his appearance was deliberate and that his intention was to mess with the prefect's head. However, that wasn't the real reason.

Mukuro was not sure what had triggered it, but he emerged because he felt threatened by something. But what was he threatened by? He knew it wasn't Hibari. The disciplinary prefect was not someone he feared, even after the animalistic bird had struck him. His mind began to delve deeper into the topic, but like all things that could potentially rupture his dismal perception of the world, he avoided such revelations by keeping a distance. The teen lips curled up into a twisted a smile, not because he was thinking of something sadistic or found something amusingly funny, but for the simple fact that he was dwelling on something that he should ignore. It wasn't important, not worth any of his precious time. He was back in his room; anything in that school meant nothing to him. He had closed ties with that place long ago and he wasn't looking to reconnect. The illusionist was only there by request and once his _favor_ was finished, he could carry on with his life.

He pulled his thoughts away from the fortnight and decided to distract his mind with knowledge. He picked up a random book and began reading. At first, he read the book with fervor, but his thoughts got the best of him. Once more he was catapulted into the sea of reverie. No longer did he see the words on the page, but images of that night coming clearer. He sighed closing his eyes and rubbing his temples, hoping that the small circles that he massages into his skull would make the images go away. They didn't go away. Amused and slightly annoyed by the persistence of his memories, Mukuro grudgingly relinquished his resistance. Perhaps, if he allowed his mind to show him the meaning behind his unusual actions, he could find some peace and if his memories were unable to serve this purpose, then at least it preoccupied some of his time. Like a blind man, Mukuro allowed these images in his head to guide him to the murkiness of his thoughts. And then there came a voice:

_What am I to you, Hibari-san?_

And then, Mukuro remembered. Those words has stirred something within him and made him confront Tsuna and Hibari. But why? Why would he care if Tsuna was something of value to Hibari? So what, the brunette didn't mean much to him. He was only interested in Tsuna to get his revenge on Byakuran and also to rile Hibari up. As soon as those goals were accomplished, he had no problem dropping the small boy like a worthless penny. He was nothing to him. Tsuna was just another useless being with a pretty face.

And even though he told himself this, he could not help but go back to that night that he had acted so rashly. He pondered even more on his own reactions; slowly he was becoming someone else. He had to admit his actions on that night were not of a person, who regarded Tsuna as nothing. Mukuro responded to Tsuna's question to Hibari with great urgency, and dare he say it, jealousy! Perhaps he was jealous. The illusionist chuckled to himself, that couldn't be true. That would place him in the same place as that birdie, and he wasn't like that guy at all. Hibari and he were very different, indeed.

Yet, when he was struck by Hibari and the brunette called out his name, he felt very satisfied. He wasn't one to jump to lofty conclusions, but from the Tsuna's actions he could tell the boy was concerned for him. From past experiences, he learned to read people's eyes, and at that moment, what he picked up from Tsuna was pure consternation. It had made him feel good: warm and fuzzy. Plus, it was wonderful how Hibari hated it, too.

Tsuna's sympathy on his behalf almost numbed the pain of his bruised cheek. No, he wouldn't go that far. At least, Mukuro wasn't willing to admit it. He reverted to his guarded self and comforted himself with his own perceptions of the horrendous human race. Tsuna didn't show him sympathy, he showed him a lie. He didn't care about him. No one did. Tsuna just felt bad that he was injured. Ken and Chikusa were only here because of a loyalty he wouldn't allow himself to fathom, let alone reciprocate. And as for _her_, he was her savior and although, they had relatable predicaments and pain, he couldn't bring himself to admit that they had a connection. The only thing he was assured of, while around _her,_ was that she wouldn't tell him lies.

Still, he couldn't help but keep going back to Tsuna. The other seemed to be working into his thoughts, as of late. Whether it was his fake concern for him, the brunette's determination to befriend him, or the boy's uncanny innocence, the illusionist knew he was becoming enthralled by the other. Mukuro sighed to himself, placing a hand over his mismatched eyes. Marshmallow brain was right…Tsuna could not be corrupted and had been able to stay virtuous through Mukuro's many attempts to entice him. Instead, Mukuro was starting to be influenced by the boy. At first, it seemed like a funny little joke, but now Mukuro was beginning to realize that it was not a joke, or at least, it was a joke that lost its humor. Somehow, the brunette had affected him. From his actions the previous night, he could only gather that he was jealous, or something close to it. He hated to place himself in the same category as Hibari, but if the emotion fits the action, so be it. Mukuro never became jealous of anyone. Human beings were mere instruments to use at his whim. Why would he become jealous of anyone with no significant purpose, other than to be used by him or someone else? The whole affair was ridiculous, but he wasn't a fool. In some way, he liked Tsuna or was growing to like the other.

Mukuro just suspected that Tsuna was different from everyone else. Time and time again, he had pointed out how they contrasted. The brunette was a luminous light and the illusionist was the opposite. And although, Mukuro had told himself to convince himself they were so very different, it didn't stop him from wanting to be touched by Tsuna's light. The other was very refreshing, fun to tease, and very interesting. And he wasn't lying when he had said he wanted to conquer the school idol's body. A lecherous smirked appeared on his face from that last thought.

Like a reminder, a chilling memory invaded his reflection. _I wish I could keep you, but you're of no use to me. _

Was the words whispered to him _that_ eventful night. The illusionist's mismatched eyes darkened as he revisited the incident that began his hatred for the student president. Clear in his mind were those condescending lilac eyes, which had once gazed at him with such fondness, and then divulged the other's true nature. He hadn't even suspected that that Byakuran was plotting behind his back. It had been a surprise to him; he hadn't seen it at all. Just like Tsuna, Byakuran had started out as very kind and understanding, but that was all a façade. The president was even more cold and calculating than he. Mukuro didn't believe Tsuna would backstab him like Byakuran had, but it was hard not to consider the possibility. Maybe, Tsuna was a ploy placed by Byakuran to ensnare him? What if Tsuna was just like that treacherous weasel?

But, Byakuran didn't have the luminosity that drew him in, Tsuna possessed it. Thinking it over even more, Tsuna didn't seem capable of such a thing; the freshman didn't have the brain for it. Mukuro saw the brunette being preyed on by Byakuran rather than trying to manipulate him. And Tsuna was even more naïve when he was with the student president, he probably didn't know anything about his past with Byakuran. Plus, the president made it very clear that Tsuna was very important to him. Mukuro wasn't sure what made the brunette so precious to the student president, but he was going make sure Byakuran didn't get his way. He'd get to Tsuna, first.

It was decided, he would go back to school. He hated the place, but at least his stay wouldn't be too painful if he has something to look forward to. He got up from his place and headed outside of his bedroom. Once, the delinquent re-entered the sitting room he was ambushed by an enthusiastic blonde. Mukuro's mismatched eyes came face to face with brown ones. The more the illusionist focused the more he was able to make out the scar on the brim of the other's nose and the clips that tamed the blonde's wild hair. The one named Ken exclaimed as he lunged at the dark haired teen, "Mukuro-sama!"

Mukuro managed to evade Ken's attempt to hug him, resulting in the excited blonde crashing into a nearby wall. The illusionist smirked. "Good evening, Ken. Did you have an enjoyable bath?"

The feral teen pushed himself off the wall he crashed into, and rubbed at his redden nose. He growled, baring his teeth and pointing a clawed finger at Chikusa. "Kaki-pii, nearly drowned me!"

Chikusa, who had been flipping through a magazine the whole time, responded in monotone voice. "It was troublesome to turn off the water with Ken naked."

"That's no fucking reason to nearly kill me!" Ken barked at the other's indifference

Usually, it was amusing observing his companions' antics but Mukuro grew impatient with their tiff. He wasted enough time here and needed to rush back to school, in order to figure out how he was going to woo Tsuna. Although, he was sure it wouldn't be hard. Mukuro walked pass Ken and headed towards the exit. "Kufufu. It's nice to know you're still in the world of the living, Ken."

"Mukuro-sama. Where are you going?" Ken questioned before Mukuro left the sitting room.

"Back. I forgot…I had an exam." The illusionist lied, but either way he knew the two would not question his excuse.

"So soon…" The blonde whined, disappointed that he didn't get to spend time with the delinquent.

Mukuro sympathetically looked over his shoulder at Ken and Chikusa. "I'll stay longer next time. We'll go out for Sukiyaki. It'll be on me."

Chikusa nodded, not wanting to hinder Mukuro any further. He mouthed. "Be safe."

Once Mukuro was allowed to leave, he took the incentive. His legs began to move, leading the illusionist to their secret passage. However, he froze in his tracks once again, when an idea came to mind. The illusionist then slowly turned back around. His foot stepped on the threshold of the sitting room, gaining the attention of his two companions. He then grinned. "Actually, I could use your help."

Chapter end

Mugen – means fantasy, visions, dreams and another definition is infinite. This out of a Japanese dictionary…so I don't know how accurate it is.

Sukiyaki- is a meat dish-thing. You watch as beef, vegetables and tofu are boiled in the broth in a large pot. Then you dip the cooked items into raw egg yolk. It's pretty delicious.

* * *

Omake – The Seme (s) explains it all Part I- The problem with Tsunayoshi Sawada

Note: When referring to the characters of the show, they would be called by their numbers or letters. Such as 27 for Tsuna or 100 for Byakuran and X for Xanxus.

Tsuna: Byakuran-san, why is this fanfic so sexual? I'm tired of hearing innuendos and people wagering bets on me.

Byakuran: Well, Tsu-chan, it's really not the fanfic's fault. It's based on a very questionable anime and manga.

Tsuna: Questionable?

Byakuran: **nods** why yes? In the beginning of the show we are introduced to a protagonist that runs around in his boxers.

Tsuna: **blushes** b-but, that's not his fault. The baby…it's the baby's fault!

Byakuran: Not only that. The main character is able to gather his "guardians" by captivating them with his underwear play.

Xanxus: **interjects** Yeah! As soon as the trash gets a load of 27's underwear, they were ready to jump abroad the fucking Vongola bandwagon. And don't let me get started on the pedophilia with that damn gun totting baby.

Tsuna: Everyone joined 27 because of friendship! Not because of his underwear!

Xanxus: You're right, it wasn't the underwear….

Tsuna: Thank you.

Xanxus: **laughs** it was 27's great personality!

Byakuran: **grins** Xan-chan was being sarcastic…by the way

Tsuna: Yea….I got that. **Rolls eyes** Look, maybe 27 didn't have the best qualities, but there had to be something else that drew everyone to him.

Byakuran: Riiiight, Tsu-chan, keep telling yourself that.

Tsuna: **groans** …….Are you finished?

Byakuran: Not quite, Tsu-chan. Xan-chan and I are getting to one of the biggest conundrum of them all. The iron clad loyalty of 27's guardians. **Leers at Tsuna **Not that I blame them, though.

Xanxus: The reason why 27's pansy ass guardians stick by him is unknown to me. After all the near death experiences, the hospital visits and the ego squashing, I would think those pieces of trash would stay away from 27. But the audience can only assume that 27's putting out. I mean, 27 better be giving them some kind of ass if his guardians are risking their fucking lives for him. Fuck friendship, I just defeated a scary ass motherfucker for you and I nearly died! A smile and thank you, just doesn't cover that shit!

Byakuran: **claps** Well said, Xan-chan.

Tsuna: That can't be true…

59 (Gokudera): **chimes in** whenever you're ready, tenth? I'm willing to wait. **Smiles**

80 (Yamamoto): **chuckles** He does have a point

D (Dino): **nods** I have to agree as well

Tsuna: Guys! You're supposed to be supporting me...I mean 27!

Byakuran: Can't fight the truth, Tsu-chan?

Tsuna:** getting mad** but what about the Varia? And the Millefiore?

Xanxus: **grins wickedly** X does give them something…..their damn lives.

Byakuran: because 100 is God….oops, I meant Seme…but it's pretty much the same thing, anyway. God, Seme…people use those terms so loosely, nowadays.

Xanxus: No, they don't.

Tsuna: ……………….**sighs **anyway, I think I understand a little better

Byakuran: **grins** Very good, Tsu-chan. **pets Tsuna's head**

Xanxus: It's about fucking time.

Seme (s): 1 - Tsuna: 0

Author's note:

Wow, this was a long chapter. I hope I didn't lose anyone or butcher Mukuro and Hibari, too much. It took me a long time to write, but I am happy in how it came out. Chapter sixteen was suppose to come out in August to celebrate this fanfic's one year birthday, but Chapter fifteen will have to suffice. I would like to thank you guys for reading this fanfic for a whole year, it's been great. Thank you for your support via review or even adding this story to favorites. I really appreciate it and I hope that I continue to please you.

On another note, Angelic Lolita and Bondage Catboy are neck and neck at the polls. The poll will be opened until chapter seventeen, so be sure to vote. From that last chapter, there have been a few added choices (I forgot to add Victorian Brat…until later. Sorry.) and you are able to vote for up to three choices. So continue voting.

That's the end of my ranting. Please review and show your support for my fanfic. It gives me power. And if you have any suggestions don't be afraid to express them, but only if good intentions are behind them. Thank you again everyone!!! Thank you Mithras151 for checking this chapter.


	16. Tsuna the Naive

Hungry for Tsuna

A Katekyo Hitman Reborn Fanfiction

Disclaimer: Not of the characters of KHR belong to me, they belong to Akira Amano.

Edited by: Mithras151 on October 14, 2009

Chapter Sixteen: Tsuna the Naïve

It had dawned upon Tsuna that throughout his fifteen years on earth that he had never been on a date! However, on the eve of his date with Gokudera, he was still more worried about this competition brewing between his friends. Yet, it hadn't been until this morning that he realized that he was inexperienced in dating. What was the proper etiquette? Was he supposed to bring something? What was best for him to wear? The brunette was at a total lost.

"But it is Gokudera, after all." Tsuna calmed himself down. His self-proclaimed guardian was very considerate of him, and the freshman had no doubt that Gokudera would predict his inexperience. Although, Tsuna was still nervous about making a fool out of himself, he knew that, in Gokudera's hands, he would be alright.

To distract him from his dating jitters, Tsuna went off to seek Ryohei. He hadn't asked the upperclassmen out on a date as of yet, but Tsuna had been preparing himself for the other's extreme excitement. However, upon entering the gym, where Tsuna assumed his energetic friend would be, the freshman found a horrendous sight. The gym had been trashed. Equipment had been scattered about, broken glass and wooden chips littered the floor, and the walls of the room were sliced by a sharp tool. In the middle of the disheveled gym was a pile of bodies. The human dog pile was the school's kendo team and among the mound of flesh was a long haired boy waving his sword around.

"VOOOOOI! IS THAT THE BEST YOUR FUCKERS CAN DO?!" Squalo triumphantly yelled as he stomped his foot into one of his victim's back, earning an agonized grunt from the battered form.

Tsuna contemplated on whether he should approach the swordsman or not. The last time he had confronted the other, he ended up chained to a dartboard and used as a plaything. However, he couldn't ignore the perils of his fellow classmates. The brunette called to the sword wielder. "Squalo-san?"

Squalo turned to the voice and actually looked very happy to see Tsuna. He jumped down from his place, walking over to the school mascot. "SHITTY BRAT! WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?"

_I have a name you know…_ Tsuna commented to himself. The brunette's large eyes flickered to the Squalo's victims and then back to white haired upperclassmen. "Are you the captain of the kendo team?"

"FUCK NO." Squalo retorted.

The school mascot raised an eyebrow. "Then…?"

The swordsman explained loudly. "I NEEDED TO GET SOME FRUSTRATION OUT! SO I JUST CHALLENGED ALL OF THEM TO A FIGHT. THOSE PIECES OF TRASH NEVER STOOD A CHANCE!"

"I see." The brunette said eyeing what was left of their kendo team. Although, the fate of his classmates was horrible, Tsuna's sympathy was easily pulled away from them. He was more concerned about Squalo and his absence at the announcement. Xanxus had implied that Squalo was in a deep sleep of some sort, but that never answered the questions of why the upperclassmen was absent. "Why didn't you come to the announcement?"

"DON'T EVEN GET ME STARTED ON THAT!" Squalo exclaimed as he revisited the reason for his aggression.

Flashback

_The teacher had began lecturing about weapons that were banned from further wars, due to their inhumane uses in World War I. Normally, Xanxus could give a rat's ass about this shit, but when the professor mentioned poison gas, the wheels in his head started turning. __**Poison Gas…I wonder if that will keep his damn mouth shut!**__ The vice president considered with a sadistic smirk appearing on his face._

_Observing this development from a few seats not too far from Xanxus, Squalo glared at the scarred Italian. __**Fucking asshole, I can tell what you're thinking!**_

_Levi was already whipping out his cell phone ready to contact a supplier or someone who brew the stuff in their basement. Anything he could do to get his hands on it. He couldn't fail Xanxus-sama. Belphegor was just grinning madly, excited for the future bloodbath that would erupt from this. Usually, princes don't learn history, they made history, but he couldn't miss out on another rumble between Xanxus and Squalo._

Flashback end

Squalo finished retelling Tsuna about his traumatic experience. "ANYWAY, THE BASTARD COULDN'T GET THE POISON GAS, SO HE JUST SETTLED FOR SMASHING A BOTTLE OF WHISKEY AGAINST MY SKULL! DAMN THAT SHITHEAD GETS ON MY LAST FUCKING NERVES!"

_How violent…_ Tsuna considered as he looked at the swordsman sympathetically. However, the protagonist knew that any utterance of sympathy would be useless. There was nothing comforting he could say to console Squalo, but it seemed that the long haired student council member had found his own way of dealing with it. Tsuna didn't justify this method, but if it helped Squalo, than who was he to judge?

Squalo and Tsuna were then alerted to the sound of the doors opening. They both turned to the doors, seeing a blonde with a crown and green haired boy with a large frog badge pinned to the jacket of his uniform emerge from the gym threshold. Belphegor was quick to notice the school mascot's presence and greeted Tsuna first.

"Ushishi, is the doll here to see the bloodbath?" Belphegor questioned with his trademark toothy grin on his face.

"Just passing through…" Tsuna replied back, a bit nervous.

"Squalo-senpai, can you tell this washed up prince not to throw knives at me? It really hurts." The monotone voiced boy said in a pleading pitch.

The knife prince turned to his companion and fixed him with a look. Without warning, he took out one of his blades and threw the sharp object at the young boy, hitting his green haired mark. "I'm not washed up."

"Ow…" Fran grimaced as another sharp blade was thrown into his back. At this point, his whole back was decorated with the hilts of Belphegor's blades. On the way here, Fran had received them for his snide comments that he continued to spew out despite the consequences. The young boy's eyes watered slightly but he was quick to brush it away. His green eyes then noticed Tsuna and he pointed with awe. "Oh, it's the school's bicycle."

_What?!_ Tsuna didn't know why he was offended, but he felt he should be with such a statement. Tsuna didn't know what it meant to be a bicycle and overlooked Fran's comment. Perhaps, it was a new slang word or he was out of lingo, this wouldn't be the first time for Tsuna. However, the brunette was even more stunned by the knives sticking out the other's back. "Are you okay with all those knives sticking out of your back?!"

Fran shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly. "Hmmm. He missed my vitals, so they're not posing any threat except being uncomfortable. Bel-senpai is a sick person. He's a sadist, you know."

_There seems to be a lot of those here…_Tsuna agreed with the newcomer. The brunette could easily come up with a list of sadists that attended here.

After being quiet for a while, Squalo reminded everyone he was still here. The swordsman huffed. "WHAT ARE YOU BASTARDS DOING HERE?"

In the same dreary tone, Fran answered. "It's a free domain; we can come and go as we please."

"A prince does not need a reason to be anywhere." Belphegor coincided with Fran.

Predictably, the responses that the two gave pissed Squalo off. Who the hell were they talking to anyway?! However, Fran and Belphegor were famous for talking to people however they wanted, with the exception of Xanxus, mostly because they both knew better. With him, the two pushed his buttons, but they knew when to stop. "I DON'T HAVE TIME TO BE BABYSITTING YOU TWO! GO BOTHER LUSSURIA OR LEVI WITH YOUR BULLSHIT!"

"Levi is annoying, and Lussuria is too fruity for me. At least, you're good for a laugh, senpai." Fran said with a slight smile.

"And plus, we can play with the doll." Belphegor inched towards Tsuna and the brunette unconsciously scooted away.

"NO! GET THE FUCK OUT!" Demanded Squalo. He wasn't in the mood to deal with these two. He was still royally ape-shit about that damn vice president and he didn't feel up to handling these pests.

On the other hand, Fran came up with a different objective for why the long haired swordsman wanted them to leave. "I see. Senpai wants to get a ride on the bicycle. Remember, practice safe sex."

"Huh?" Tsuna said, confused by Fran's assertion.

"VOOIIIII!" screamed the now irate upperclassmen. He then slammed the blunt end of the sword upon the brat's head.

"That hurts a lot, senpai. I think I'm going to cry." The frog grimaced as he nursed the place that Squalo had struck him.

"YOU DAMN BRAT! CAN'T YOU TELL HE'S A VIRGIN?!"

Fran blinked taking in this new information. His eyes widened in astonishment. The cheeky boy's eyes drifted from an embarrassed Tsuna to a raging Squalo. His green eyes settled on the long haired shark. "Really? I thought that cantankerous vice president already took care of that."

_Why are they talking about me as if I'm not here?_ Tsuna frowned as the trio began talking among themselves about his still intact virginity. No matter what he did, he always managed to run into the perverts, or at least, they knew where to find him.

"Ushishi. He got rejected that last time." Belphegor pointed out, remembering when they kidnapped Tsuna and Xanxus had stormed in, taking their plaything away. Somehow, all three of them ended up in the infirmary later that day. Squalo and he had been attacked by Hibari, but the vice president never mentioned how he had been injured. So, Squalo assumed that his injuries were due to being rejected by Tsuna, unaware that Xanxus was actually attacked by Mukuro.

Squalo contemplated this for a while. "THAT PRICK IS SO TIGHLIPPED ABOUT IT THAT IT HAS TO BE TRUE."

"The bicycle rejected Xanxus-senpai and he's still alive. Cool." Fran gave Tsuna the thumbs up for his bravery. Tsuna, in turn, did not know how to respond to the green haired boy's praise.

"Stop calling him a bicycle, you snotty frog." The blond prince tossed another knife into the smaller boy's back.

Fran cringed at the near fatal attack. "Creepy prince, you almost got my spine."

At the rate things were unfolding, Tsuna knew he wouldn't gain anything by continuing to associate with the deranged trio. When he had first encountered Belphegor and Squalo, they used him as toy, and if it hadn't benn for Xanxus's timely intervention, who knew what could have happened? The brunette turned on his heels and started to head toward the exit. "Well, if my friend isn't here…I guess I should get going."

"Wait a second." Belphegor said grabbing onto Tsuna's arm. He then yanked the small boy into his arms.

"Hiiii." The freshman screamed upon being brought into the prince's hold. His back resting against the blonde's forearm, his small shoulders brushing against the other's chest and his frightful face looking back at the grinning royal.

"Are you trying to take my title from me?" Questioned Belphegor, who actually looked serious.

Tsuna could not see the prince's eyes but he knew the blonde was upset. Confused by his question, Tsuna inquired. "Title?"

Squalo groaned either at Tsuna's incompetence or his knife wielding comrade's vagueness. He decided to explain to Tsuna what the prince meant, since it looked like the brat would never get it. "HE'S TALKING ABOUT YOUR PANSY COSTUME CHOICES. ISN'T ONE OF THEM A PRINCE OR SOMETHING?"

Tsuna's large brown eyes widened with recognition. One of the choices for the Maid Café was indeed a prince. "Oh?"

The green haired boy interjected, bringing up his two cents. "It's okay, Bel-senpai is not very prince-like. He's not charming, magnanimous or handsome. He's the exact opposite of a prince. Bel-senpai is more like the creepy villains that attempt to steal the crown, if you really think about it."

Tsuna had to agree with Fran on this one. Belphegor was truly nothing compared to a fairytale prince, but the brunette already assumed that those types of princes never existed anyway. For all he knew all princes acted just like the disturbing blonde, since Belphegor was the only prince Tsuna had ever met.

"No one asked you, frog." Belphegor barked, unable to throw his knives while he held on to Tsuna.

"I'm sorry, I'm not trying to take your title. It's just a costume choice and I wouldn't be a real prince. You're the only prince here." The brunette assured Belphegor.

Tsuna watched the blonde carefully as he took all of this in and as if showing his acceptance, the prince grinned an even wider smile than usual. "Ushishi. I see. So you're just masquerading as prince to gain my attention?"

_Um…no._ Tsuna grimaced at Belphegor's notion.

The green haired student turned to the swordsman. "Squalo-senpai, what did you chose for Crossdresser-san to wear?"

_Crossdresser-san?! _Tsuna looked at the Fran incredulously. This boy's nicknames for him were getting better and better.

Squalo crossed his arms and spat. "I DIDN'T VOTE FOR THAT SHIT!"

"That's a lie, Senpai. I saw you vote yesterday. You were all flustered and pissed off by just putting that one sheet of paper in the box. It was very entertaining." Fran revealed with a playful smirk.

The swordsman rushed the smaller student, slamming one of his heels into the boy's back. The upperclassman's foot pressed down hard on three of Belphegor's embedded daggers. "DAMN YOU, FRAN! HOW ABOUT YOU SHUT YOUR DAMN MOUTH!"

Despite, how excruciating it looked, Fran managed to maintain his deadpan expression and dry tone. "Senpai, you're pushing the daggers deeper."

Curious and trying to distract himself from Fran's pain, the brunette inquired. "What did you vote for, Squalo-san?"

"NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS!" barked the long haired upperclassmen as he stopped torturing the green haired brat, twisting his torso to glare at the brunette.

Fran then exposed without restraint, "He voted for Chinese courtesan."

The closest look of embarrassment for Squalo was a blank expression, but it was short-lived. The long haired upperclassmen's vacant look quickly transformed into unrelenting rage. "FUCKING FRAN! I'LL FUCKING KILL YOU!"

In a flash, Fran snatched Tsuna from the prince and hid behind the school mascot. "Crossdresser-san, protect me. Use your Asian persuasion to steer him away."

_Asian persuasion?!_ Tsuna thought as he became Fran's personal human shield.

"Get your slimy hands off the doll." Belphegor ordered Fran. At this rate, Tsuna would be skewered by Squalo. And though this would be amusing to the prince, he did not want to lose his very entertaining doll.

"So you can do indecent things to him?" Fran questioned the blonde as he held onto Tsuna. "I told you, Crossdresser-san, Bel-senpai is not like a prince, not at all."

"Cheeky brat." The prince growled.

Squalo was already breathing down Tsuna's neck, waving his sword hazardously in the air, the long blade ready to slice into a certain disrespectful amphibian. "VOOOOIII! STOP HIDING BEHIND THE SHITTY BRAT!"

Tsuna frowned deeply. He was used to the fighting and yelling, but there was one thing that bothered him the most. The brunette screamed over the bellows of the trio. "My name is Tsuna!"

There was a pause from all sides, a few blinks of the eyes and then a nasty "Shut Up!" was thrown Tsuna's way before the brunette was shoved to the side, becoming a spectator to the divine punishment of Fran. _Poor kid._

_

* * *

  
_

At the Sawada Residence,

Iemitsu slept into the morning and early afternoon. For the past few nights, Iemitsu hadn't been able to sleep. He was still in shock from the news that his wife had broken to him, Tsuna being admitted to Namimori all boy's school. One of his greatest fears was becoming a reality, despite his best efforts to prevent it from happening. Tsuna's presence at that institution meant that everything that they had hid from him would come to light. As a protective father, Iemitsu was more than anxious to salvage what was left of his son's ignorance. The only way he could accomplish this was by taking Tsuna away, but he wondered if his son would go willingly. He would expect Tsuna to be a bit weird around him, his father had been missing for most of his life. The very traveling that had been necessary to keep Tsuna's secrets had strained their relationship. However, he had a good reason for leaving Nana and Tsuna for so long. As a man, a husband and a father, he was willing to do anything to protect his family. Even if it meant being hated by them.

Every night his mind was plagued of the memories of _that_ incident. It had begun with a simple family outing. Tsuna was still very young at the time; he had only been three years old. As a child, he had been both curious and frightened of the world. He would go investigate some new phenomenon that his young eyes have never witnessed, and as soon as the object did something strange, the waterworks would fall. Nevertheless, Iemitsu had had no doubt that his son would grown up into an upstanding gentleman. However, his view of Tsuna changed when they lost him at a local amusement park. Somehow, Tsuna had wandered away from them without his or Nana noticing. During the brief time it had taken them to discover Tsuna was missing and begin searching for their son, something terrible had happened.

A scream had alerted him to the danger, making the search for his son that much more urgent. Iemitsu remembered the grayish smoke that hung above the park like a storm cloud and the orange and red blaze that swept over everything like a tidal wave. A fire had broken out at the amusement park, engulfing everything in a sea of flames. People had been running every which way to get out of the way of the conflagration. A gut instinct told Iemitsu that he should go toward the source of the flames. Unfortunately, his hunch had been correct. In the center of the inferno had been his son, his eyes glazed over and emotionless. The only thing he had seen within those orbs were the reflections of fierce flames. Iemitsu had watched speechlessly, frozen in place, unable to believe that the boy in the center of the inferno had been his son. That boy could not have been his fearful son, who started to cry when a butterfly came too close. That child had to be someone else's. However, Iemitsu hadn't allowed himself to drift into denial for very much longer; he had to stop his son before he hurt anyone.

Suddenly, the blonde had his voice and had commanded Tsuna to stop. Once his words had reached his son, light had appeared in his eyes and the small boy turned to him. His eyes welled up with tears at seeing his father's angry face, and the flames around them were began to die down. Iemitsu had been able to approach his son once the flames had calmed and Tsuna had begun sobbing uncontrollably. He hadn't known what had happened to Tsuna to elicit such a powerful display of destruction, but had known he had to find away to suppress this mysterious power so it would not happen again.

This incident had forced Iemitsu to leave home to find answers. He had wanted to know what kind of powers his son possessed, and more importantly, prevent his son from hurting others with his gifts again. The confused father had traveled from continent to continent, crossing sea and even sky. However, his searches had lead him back to Japan, and more specifically, a boarding school named Namimori. There he met a man named Timoteo, who had been the principal of the school at the time. It was through this man that he was able to figure out the root of Tsuna's power. His great grandfather Ieyasu, once called Giotto was the carrier of the dying will flame and it was through his genes that Tsuna inherited this power. Because of this unique power, Giotto was able to ascend his father's position as leader of the Vongola family. However, due to disagreements with how Vongola did business, Giotto used his powers to destroy the entire organizations as well as its alliances.

Guilt-ridden by what he had done, he took the children of the surviving mafia families and brought them to Japan. Giotto took the guise of Ieyasu and married into the Sawada family. With the last of his fortune he had built a school that would house the children of the mafia. To repent for his horrendous crime, he had vowed to reform them into upstanding members of society.

Taking the title of principal after Giotto, Timoteo had been very close with Giotto. To the point that he knew of all other's secrets, even how the founder had managed to seal his powers. However, the principal was quick to warn Iemitsu what he was about to do. Giotto had willingly sealed away his powers, but Iemitsu was making this decision for Tsuna. If there came a time where Tsuna wished to use his power, then his will would override the seal and he would be able to use them. There was also the risk of suppressing a power that they did not fully understand. Timoteo had warned him of the possibility of side effects or even the power morphing into something new, perhaps into something they were unable to control. Despite these possibilities, Iemitsu decided it would be better to seal away his power. It had been a hard decision, but Iemitsu had believed it would be the best for Tsuna.

The amusement park where the incident occurred was gone and was now a street mall. The neighborhood had completely forgotten about the incident. No longer did Iemitsu hear the echoes of the people murmuring about the horrible fire. Although, the incident had been forgotten by everyone else, he was not so quick to forget. Everytime Iemitsu walked by the area, he got this strange feeling and an eerie flashback of his son's emotionless amber eyes. Those eyes were burned into his soul. The blonde thought he would not have to see them ever again.

But now his fear was becoming a reality. His son was called back to the very place his powers were sealed. Was this Timoteo's doing, or someone else? He didn't know, but he couldn't wait to get to the school. Each day passed by produced another hindrance. Tomorrow Nana's parents were coming to visit, and the day after that was the huge sale that his wife had been waiting for. It seemed as if everything was stopping him from getting to Tsuna. He hoped he could get to school before something bad happened.

"Wait for me, Tsuna." Iemitsu said pensively as he hugged an empty sake bottle.

* * *

Gokudera looked down at his watch fervently. The time for his date with Tsuna was winding down and he was becoming more anxious by the second. He really wondered if he could truly pull off a date that surpassed all others. Gokudera had a set a huge goal for himself and now he was feeling the pressure of it. He had promised Tsuna that he would give him the best date, but now he wasn't so sure. Was it really in his power to do this? With the people he was up against it was no wonder Gokudera felt a bit insecure. Especially hearing that the baseball freak was asked before him, and that he was up against the charismatic Dino, it was hard for the bomber not to lose a bit of confidence in himself. Gokudera's gaze looked up from his watch and in the distance he could see Tsuna approaching. "Tenth…"

Somehow, Tsuna had managed to escape from Bel, Fran and Squalo. After another heated argument erupted due to the big mouthed Fran, the trio began to fight amongst each other and the brunette took this distraction to run for his life. The brunette briskly ran up to the silver haired guardian, hoping that Squalo and the others had not kept his friend waiting.

Gokudera had told Tsuna to meet him by the old library. The brunette wondered what the silver haired bomber could have in store for him over there. He remembered that the school was currently repairing the library, so he thought it would be impossible to have a date there. However, as he drew closer to the building he realized that the building looked brand new…on the outside. Perhaps, the inside had been repaired as well.

"Hi, Gokudera." Tsuna greeted and after he caught his breath, he asked. "Am I on time?"

"Tenth is right on time." Gokudera smiled.

Suddenly, Tsuna became bashful. Although, he had raced here planning to meet Gokudera for a date, he had not realized what that meant. Now, he felt shy around Gokudera. He wasn't a friend, but his _date_. Tsuna wasn't sure how to act, but still he wondered why it had to be this way. Why did he feel so uncomfortable?

_Why is it so awkward?!_ Tsuna wondered. Usually, it was never this hard to talk to Gokudera. But now things seemed different. The brunette soon came to the conclusion that "the date" was probably intensifying their shyness. Not being able to handle the cold silence that loomed over them, Tsuna decided to break the ice."S-so, what do you have planed?"

"Nothing special." Replied a humble Gokudera.

"I'm sure whatever you came up with I'll be happy with it."

Gokudera nodded his head in response to Tsuna's statement, resulting in the awkward silence settling over them once more. The brunette frantically looked around his surroundings to find something that would keep the conversation going. His brown eyes fixated on the school library. This was the place they were suppose to have their date and Tsuna had been wondering the whole day as to why Gokudera picked such a place.

"Why the library?" asked the Mascot.

For a second, Gokudera gave a look of surprise and then he answered in a soft tone. "Because, this is the place where we first met, Tenth."

Tsuna blushed at this. He had almost forgotten that this was where he had met Gokudera. For some reason, that day seemed so far away. The beginning of school seemed so long ago. The Gokudera he had first met was nothing like the guardian he knew now. And Tsuna would have never imagined he would be going on a date with Gokudera back then. The brunette smiled benignly. "I remember."

"Shall we go in, Tenth?"

Tsuna nodded and allowed Gokudera to lead the way. The library was fixed, infrastructure-wise. However, the building was pretty bare. Gokudera turned on the lights and Tsuna was able to see that the place was not truly empty. In fact, there were a bunch of boxes pushed to the end of the library as well as table and chairs, stacked upon each other. From the design of the table and chairs, Tsuna figured that they would not be used for the library but perhaps something else.

"They're having the Maid Café in here?!" Tsuna said loudly as he came to the conclusion of what those items would be used for.

"Seems so." Gokudera answered. "This way, tenth."

Tsuna turned away from the café furniture and followed after the silver haired bomber. The fair haired boy led him to the second floor of the library, which was also completely bare. However within the empty space was a single table with two chairs on either side. The table had a white cloth over it with an antique four candle holder in the middle. On each side of the table was a set of silverware and china neatly placed on to the surface.

"You did all this, Gokudera?" Tsuna asked, looking to the silver haired boy next to him.

The silver haired bomber said modestly. "I probably could have done a better job."

Tsuna smiled. "No. This is great."

The mascot stepped toward the table and Gokudera raced in front of him, gripping the chair that Tsuna choose to sit in. "Let me get this for you, Tenth."

"Um…okay?" Tsuna said quietly. Although, Gokudera did not mean to embarrass him, he still felt that way. Didn't guys normally do such things for girls? Despite how he felt, Tsuna obediently sat down on the chair and allowed his friend to push him closer to the table.

"Comfortable?"Asked Gokudera.

"Yes." Replied Tsuna, who tried not to blush too badly. He then watched as Gokudera stepped away and returned with a plate of food.

"You cooked? How?" Tsuna looked surprised.

"I just borrowed the kitchen." Gokudera lied; actually he made the head chef give permission to use the kitchen. But Tsuna didn't have to know all the details. Gokudera sat down in his own chair with his own plate. "If you don't like it, you don't have to eat it."

"Itadakimasu." [1] After Ryohei's bento incident that had nearly burned his soul, the brunette was a bit apprehensive of eating anyone's cooking. However,being the good friend that he was, he could not deny Gokudera's food without first trying it. Plus, the other's food smelled and looked good. He bravely took his utensil and took a bite. He chewed carefully and his mouth began to water from the exquisite taste. "This is delicious."

"I'm glad Tenth likes it."

The course of the meal was filled with even more awkward silence, but Tsuna didn't mind as much. He was too busy filling his stomach to care. It had been such a long time since he had good food like this. It made him a bit homesick for his mother's cooking. The school meals could not compare to his mother's culinary expertise and Gokudera's cooking. "Gochisosama deshita [2]. I love your cooking, Gokudera. It reminds me of home."

Gokudera smiled, pleased that his cooking made the tenth happy. "Do you cook, tenth?"

"Um…no. I've tried a couple of times but it never turns out right." The brunette confessed. "Do you like to cook, Gokudera?"

"Not really. I don't do it a lot."

"That's too bad. You could be a chef. If you don't like cooking, then what do you like?" Tsuna inquired.

"Like?"

The smaller boy elaborated. "Like: favorite food, favorite color, hobbies. Stuff like that."

"Well, my favorite food…I'm not sure, but I like those meals you can get at the convenience store. Like Onigiri or Yakisoba." Gokudera continued after he thought about what else he liked. "And my favorite color is red. I like to read mostly."

"What do you read about?" Tsuna asked but he already had an idea that Gokudera would spew of names that he could not pronounce and speak of theories that would give him a headache by the mention of them.

Gokudera blushed as he confessed his secret passion."The mysteries of the world."

Tsuna repeated. "Mysteries of the world?"

"Like UFOs, Lochness, Big foot and the Tsuchinoko[3]." Explained the bomber.

The brunette sighed in relief. "I see. So you're interested in those things."

"Do you think it's weird?" Gokudera questioned, looking hurt.

Tsuna smiled gently at his emerald eyed guardian. "No, I don't think it's weird at all. To be honest, I'm very afraid of the idea of aliens coming to earth."

"Don't worry if UFOs do come to this planet, I'll be sure to protect the Tenth."Gokudera promised.

_Thank you, but I rather if they just stayed on their own planet._ Tsuna thought to himself. Although, Gokudera had sworn to protect him if aliens did invade Earth, he was still unnerved by the other's enthusiasm. Tsuna was happy to change the subject. "Do you have any other hobbies?"

"I also play the Piano." Added the alien enthusiast.

"Really?" Tsuna beamed as he learned this. The brunette was impressed. Not only was Gokudera smart, but he could also cook and play the piano. He never knew someone could be good at so many things, or perhaps, Tsuna was bad at so many things that he was easily impressed by the bomber. "I would like to hear you play, Gokudera."

"You would? I think there's a Piano in the music room." The silver haired boy recalled.

Tsuna quickly stood up from his seat and walked over to Gokudera's side. "Let's go." He said eagerly.

* * *

Today was another shitty day for Xanxus. Class was boring and a fucking waste of time. Sometimes, he wondered why he even bothered to come to class. Byakuran was being a pest as usual, leaving him and Shouichi with all the damn work. The clown of a president went MIA again. Not that the vice president wasn't happy that scum was gone, but taking on someone else's fucking responsibilities was the part that he disliked the most. Xanxus hated doing work, he hated it even more when he had to do other people's work and what pissed him off the most was that he didn't have a choice.

And on top of that, Levi was following him like some lost puppy. Although, Xanxus liked to be pampered and being given nothing but the best, he was easily annoyed by Levi's doting. The vice president wished that Levi would take the not-so-subtle hints he dropped him and allow him space to breath. Somehow, during the hustle and bustle of the day, he managed to lose the stalker. The vice president retreated back to the room, not wanting to be bothered and he knew once he entered his domain, no one would dare disturb him. Unless, they wanted a bottle of whiskey thrown at them. Xanxus relished in the solitude of his room, with his favorite drink in a chilled glass, sitting in his comfy chair. And then, the doors of his room burst open.

"Xanxus-sama." Lussuria greeted as he walked into the vice president's room without invitation.

The Italian huffed, not even looking at the fag. "What are you doing here?"

The other dared to ask. "Am I bothering you?"

Xanxus' crimson eyes fixed Lussuria with a look that said, "Yes! Now get the fuck out". However, the silent threat rolled off the other's back and Lussuria continued to saunter into the lion's den. "I'll be out of your hair, soon." Lussuria promised. "But I thought you should know…"

Xanxus rolled his eyes with an aggravated groan. Ever since Squalo opened his big dumb mouth about his supposed rejection from Tsuna, Lussuria had made it his business to keep tabs on the brunette. Every day, the flamboyant boy would come to him with news about the school mascot, and it wasn't important things like which shithead he should make disappear. No, it was dumb shit like what he ate that day or his favorite fucking color. Were they in elementary school or something?! Lussuria felt that this was essential for Xanxus to know, but the vice president couldn't give a rat's ass to be honest.

"This better be good, Lussuria." Impatience deep within the vice president's voice.

The boy with the pink sunglasses cut straight to chase."Xanxus-sama, he's going on dates with people."

The scarred Italian repeated, becoming interested. "Dates?"

"Uh huh. Apparently, it's some contest to see who he likes the most." Lussuria further elaborated.

Even though the vice president managed to maintain the face of an ennui, internally he was a bit unnerved by this news. Xanxus had yet to admit to himself that he liked Tsuna, so he would never say he felt jealous. Instead, the vice president felt kind of hurt, maybe even betrayed. Xanxus's inner sourpuss spoke first. "Like I care what he does."

_Liar!_ Lussuria thought. Sometimes, the vice president could be a big baby. If things did not turn his way, he was quick to get moody or even indifferent. At least, he pretended to be. "Are you going to sit there and do nothing?"

"I told you already. I don't care about that damn brat." Xanxus said apathetically, but the neon green haired upperclassmen knew better.

Lussuria sighed, there was no helping Xanxus when he was like this. "Suit yourself."

With that, the flamboyant boy sauntered out of the vice president's room. Xanxus stared into his drink, losing the appetite to consume it. He sat the glass down and began brooding over what he had just been told. He had told Lussuria that he didn't care, but he had been lying both to Lussuria and himself. He did care. It bothered him immensely that Tsuna was going on dates with other people. His pride was the only thing keeping him from getting up from his chair and offing any bastard who was trying to court the mascot. And yet, the same pride that kept the Italian stubbornly in place was also bruised by the news.

Wasn't it Tsuna who was dying to befriend him? Wasn't it Tsuna that told him he had nothing to lose? Xanxus felt he had had been lied to, and that perhaps, Tsuna was only playing games with him. The scarred Italian felt betrayed. Yet, the truth was that Tsuna never lied to him. He probably only wanted to be friends with him, it was just that Xanxus wanted more than that. The vice president was slowly coming to the realization that he potentially liked the brat and didn't want to be just friends with him. Since their last encounter, the vice president was so ready to pounce on the mascot. He didn't know why. Never in his life would he ever think of being attracted to a guy, and a pathetic one at that. Even with that freakish loud mouth walking around with his flowing hair, Xanxus has yet to look Squalo's way… and never would. Then again, he couldn't say that he had met a woman that had ever interested him, either. However, with Tsuna, he couldn't help himself. It was as if the brat had some kind of control over him, to the point where he needed to touch the other just to feel satisfied.

The sound of a glass shattering against a wall woke the Italian out of his reverie. His red eyes examined his now empty table, which used to have a glass filled with liquor and his right hand slightly outreached in a familiar position. He huffed as he watched the dark poison slide down the wall. He needed to get a hold of himself. There was nothing in this world that was more important than him. Anything else, anyone else, was insignificant and nothing but trash. Xanxus forced himself to remember that and to not fall into the same group as the other scum in the school. However, he couldn't fight it. He was back to Lussuria's favorite topic, and admittedly, it was becoming Xanxus most revisited subject as well.

Whilst he was superior, Tsuna was just ordinary. There was nothing special about Tsuna. No…at first glance there was nothing special about him, but after witnessing the boy over time, Xanxus's opinion of Tsuna changed. He was not as weak as he thought, the brunette lacked physical strength but Tsuna made up for it with another kind of strength: guts. The vice president marveled at Tsuna's ability to confront him and stay calm around his enraged fits. Another thing about the brat that he admired was the other's kindness. And believe him; Xanxus knew it was hard to be kind, especially towards him. The proof was the twenty five women in his life that he caused to burst into tears, and most of time he hadn't even put in the effort to insult them. Lastly, it felt damn fucking good to kiss him.

Yet, even in this critical state of affairs, Xanxus's stubbornness continued to hinder him. Xanxus was spoiled; he rarely had to do anything for himself. He was so used to people bending over backwards for him. Even his father was doing flips to gain back his attention. And Tsuna was no exception; he was making the brunette prove himself to get closer to him. That was just how Xanxus was used to handling people. Refuse them attention and they were graveling at your feet. Smash a bottle against their skull and they were your best friend. Steal their girlfriend and they were buying you a drink for taking the broad off their hands. Perhaps, people were afraid him or admired him, but whatever the case, it worked for him and the scarred Italian rarely had to left a finger to make things happen in his life. However, it struck Xanxus that using his normal methods would not win Tsuna over. There was too much scum lurking around for his usual actions to work. He had to do something and do it fast.

"Lussuria." Xanxus called knowing that the other was not far.

As if on cue, the boy stood at the frame of the door. "Yes, Xanxus-sama."

The scarred Italian fought with the words he was about to speak and then after much inner conflict, he replied. "Where is he?"

* * *

The walk to music room was silent, since neither Tsuna nor Gokudera spoke throughout the trip. For most of the trip, Tsuna was just staring at Gokudera's back, excited to hear the bomber play. On the other hand, the silver haired guardian was kind of nervous about performing in front of Tsuna. It had been years since he played the piano, and he wondered if he still remembered to play. He was out of practice, but he couldn't let the Tenth down, especially, if he was given a golden opportunity like this to win the brunette over.

The lecture building was completely empty. The time for class had since passed, so no faculty or students were present. Unlike in the daytime, when the building was very bright, it was now pitch black. So dark that Gokudera had to light a stick of dynamite to see in front of his face. Tsuna was wary when this idea was offered by the bomber, but he trusted his friend enough not to blow them both up. Finally, they reached the music room and, thankfully, Gokudera was able to extinguish the flame of the dynamite before the wick burned out. Tsuna was about to turn on the lights, but Gokudera stopped him.

"If we turn on the lights the disciplinary committee will come here." Gokudera warned, though he could care less about being caught by Hibari's goons, he didn't want them crashing in, ruining his date with Tsuna.

"Oh, right. But how will you see?" Tsuna questioned.

"This room is not completely dark, like everywhere else." The other pointed out.

Tsuna slowly noticed that this room was more illuminated then the other parts of the school. A white light was shining through from the window and gave them enough light for Gokudera to see. "The moon…" The brunette said slowly.

His eyes diverted from the windows in the music room to his silver headed companion. Gokudera was already making his way to the back of the classroom, where there was a sleek, black grand piano. The darkness of the lacquer practically shined in the moonlight. The brunette slowly approached his date as Gokudera looked over the piano. He then watched as the other's pale fingers pressed on a random key emitting a note or two. To Gokudera's satisfaction the sound he received was good, meaning that the Piano was properly turned. The emerald orbs of the pianist looked over to Tsuna.

"Is there something Tenth would like to hear?"

Too embarrassed to reveal that he wasn't very knowledgeable of classical music, Tsuna opted for letting Gokudera play whatever he wished. "Anything you want to play is fine with me."

"Then, I'll play my favorite song just for the tenth." Gokudera decided.

Tsuna blushed, taking a seat. "O-okay."

The silver haired bomber sat in front of the large instrument. His fingers lightly graced over the white and black keys. Gokudera closed his eyes, somehow knowing what keys were which. Tsuna watched as Gokudera lightly pressed against an arrangement of keys, emitting a sweet sound. The pace of the song was slow and then the pace of the melody began to ascend and descend like a roller coaster. The melody, though soothing took the brunette on a momentous ride. Tsuna began to feel heady from the sereneness of the music. The mascot felt as if he was flying at some point and being surrounded by cool waters the next. Tsuna never knew music could do such things or perhaps, it was because Gokudera was playing this song just for him. Whatever the reason, Tsuna was very pleased with the experience.

Gokudera's music continued to take Tsuna to places high and low, to the point that the small boy was getting drunk off the tune. The song carried Tsuna off into a meditative -like stupor. His body was reacting to something. This unknown force was warm and inviting. This feeling was beckoning the brunette out of his subconscious and asking him to seek its source. Obediently, Tsuna obeyed this intuitive calling. His brown eyes looked over to Gokudera and he saw something that he had not noticed before.

_A red flame?_ Tsuna thought to himself. There was a scarlet glow hovering over the Italian's chest. The reddish hue was easy for Tsuna to spot, even if it was faint.

Before he could complete his speculations on the phenomenon, his ability to see this weird occurrence vanished, as if turned off by a switch. As he continued to watch Gokudera, he saw no sign of the red flame making Tsuna feel as if he was hallucinating or assuming that the darkness in the room was playing tricks on him. Although he tried to forget what he thought he had seen, he had an eerie feeling that it was important.

"Hey brat." A familiar voice called to him from the other end of the music room.

Tsuna's head swung in the direction of the newcomer and the brunette was very surprised to see this person. At the sound of threatening voice, Gokudera paused in playing his music. His emerald eyes looking over the piano's top and seeing a very tall, dark skinned male eyeing the tenth. He looked older than Tsuna and himself, so that meant he was a threat. Also he looked Italian and that set off the red alarm in the self-proclaimed guardian's mind. Nothing good came from Italians.

Xanxus's red eyes turned to the boy at the piano and began staring Gokudera down. On his way here, he had wondered what kind of shithead the brat was hanging around. He had imagined someone weak, or a pretty boy that rivaled Fabio. The vice president had even considered someone as strong as an ox, or someone as ugly as a horse's behind. However, seeing Gokudera's face confirmed that this kid was nothing to be concerned about. If he was up against this kid, then he knew he would surely get Tsuna.

Tsuna got up from his seat."X-Xanxus?!"

"You know him, Tenth?" Gokudera asked Tsuna, his eyes did not move from Xanxus.

"Yes, Xanxus is the vice president of the student council." Tsuna turned to Gokudera and informed the other on who Xanxus was. However, the school mascot was wondering why the vice president was here. "What brings you here, Xanxus?"

"So, that's him." The vice president said, referring to Gokudera. "That's the competition? Brat, I know you can do better than that."

"Che cazzo stai dicendo?" [4]The silver haired barked at Xanxus.

"Lo avete sentito, testa di merda."[5] The scarred Italian gave a confident smirk.

Gokudera cursed. "Minchia." [6]

Tsuna was taken aback by what just happened. Suddenly, Xanxus had insulted Gokudera and they had somehow slipped into Italian jargon. From the tone of these words, Tsuna figured that the both were fighting.

"Stop it." Tsuna ordered, although his demanding voice was shaky. Who wouldn't be? Gokudera could be very intimidating when angered and Xanxus always had an unapproachable air about him. So it was easy for the brunette to lose face between the two of them. Plus, he hated confrontation. "Xanxus, you didn't come here just to pick a fight with Gokudera did you?"

The vice president looked to Tsuna and nodded. "No, I didn't come to do that."

"Then?" Tsuna pressed, wondering why Xanxus decided to pay them a visit.

Answering Tsuna's question, the scarred Italian whipped his pistols and pointed directly at Gokudera. The silver haired Italian was quick to take out his own dynamite out of self-defense. The tension in room was growing even thicker than before. Each alpha male glaring into the eye of the other calling dibs on their mate, which was unfortunately Tsuna.

"What are you doing?!" The brunette shrieked.

"What does it look like I'm doing?" answered Xanxus, his pointer fingers looping around the triggers of his guns. "I'm eliminating the trash around you."

"Who the fuck is you calling trash?!" Growled Gokudera, who had already lit a couple of his dynamites.

"Sto comunicando con voi, schiuma."[7] The tallest of trio spat.

The bomber threatened."I'll kick your ass."

"I fucking dare you."

Tsuna remembered the last time Xanxus used his guns. The sheer power of the pistols blasted a whole through a wall. Tsuna didn't want to imagine what could happen if one of the vice president's bullets hit a human being. And when Gokudera started to throw his dynamite around, he was bound to place some damage on Xanxus. Even though, Xanxus had started this, he didn't want to see the other hurt and the brunette felt a strong need to protect Gokudera, who was unevenly matched with the vice president. Tsuna felt he needed to do more than stand on the sidelines and watch the disaster unfold. The small boy made up his mind and jumped in front of the bomber, protecting Gokudera with his body.

Tsuna's rich brown orbs fixated on the vice president. His heroic gaze unwavering and his voice steady."Xanxus, I don't know why you're doing this, but I can't allow you to hurt Gokudera."

"You really do have a lot of guts, brat." Xanxus glowered at Tsuna's martyrdom. He truly admired that Tsuna could stand up to him; however in this situation the vice president could not praise him. "But, sit down and shut up! This is a man's fight and you have no business in it."

Chapter Sixteen End

Itadakimasu- I shall receive, a saying one must say before eating

Gochisosama (deshita) – Thank you for the food. A saying one must say after eating

Tsuchinoko- Mythical giant snake

Che cazzo stai dicendo? - What the hell are you talking about?

Lo avete sentito, testa di merda. – You heard me, shithead.

Minchia- Prick

Sto comunicando con voi, schiuma. – I am talking to you, scum.

* * *

Omake- The Boxer Thief…Not Panty Thief

Tsuna: WHO TOOK MY UNDERWEAR?!

Everyone: **looks at Byakuran**…..

Byakuran: **smiles** it's not me this time

Everyone: **looks at Gokudera**

Gokudera: I would never do that to the Tenth **points at Mukuro** That bastard probably did it, though!

Mukuro: Kufufu, I wonder what would give you that idea.

Gokudera: I knew it, you're guilty!

Mukuro: I'm afraid I don't have Tsunayoshi's underwear, but perhaps **shifts his eyes to Hibari** he does

Hibari: No. I don't have the herbivore's underwear. **Takes out his tonfas** But when I find the culprit, I'll bite them to death.

Yamamoto: Maa,maa. Let's not fight amongst ourselves.

Gokudera: Trying to divert out suspicion by playing the nice guy?! It's not going to work on me!

Yamamoto: **frowns** I didn't take them, Gokudera.

Lambo: Yare, Yare. **Sighs** Tsuna I thought after the fiftieth time, you would have learned to lock these things up.

Tsuna: I shouldn't have to lock them up!

Byakuran: Good thing, I made Otachan put tracking devices in Tsu-chan's unmentionables.

Tsuna: You placed tracking devices on my underwear?!

Byakuran: So that I'll always know where Tsu-chan is.

Tsuna: **groans** Unbelievable

Gokudera: You're sick!

Byakuran: You're just mad because you didn't think of it first

Spanner: I've found them. **Hands Byakuran a portable device**

Byakuran**: Looks at screen** I see…he finally listened to my advice. **Grins wickedly** Welcome to the dark side.

Meanwhile…

Ryohei: That guy was right…this is extremely fun **Throws up a bundle of Tsuna's underwear and dances about in the shower of Tsuna's boxers**

Omake End- Ryohei is easy to corrupt ^_^

Author's note: It took two months but it is done. I don't have much to say except next chapter will be the end of the poll. So if you have not voted yet, please do. The poll is located on my profile page and you will be voting for Tsuna's outfit in the Maid Café. So please vote. I must also add that even if your choice does not win, Tsuna will still wear these costume choices, just at a later date. Next chapter will be Tsuna's date with Yamamoto. So look forward to it. Thank you for reading, reviewing, favoriting my story and I hope you continue to do so. Please review, it gives me power. Until next time.


	17. Tsuna the Aware

Hungry for Tsuna

A Katekyo Hitman Reborn Fanfiction

Disclaimer: I do not own KHR characters, Akira Amano does.

Chapter Seventeen- Tsuna the Aware

"Sit down and shut up! This is a man's fight and you have no business in it." The gun totting Italian demanded.

_And what does that make me?_ Tsuna frowned, wondering what the vice president meant by that.

"Don't talk that way to the Tenth!" Gokudera rebuked Xanxus, however, the silver haired boy turned to Tsuna, placing a hand on the small boy's shoulders. "But, you should leave this to me, Tenth."

_You too! _The brunette sulked; he didn't know what hurt more: not being considered a man, or being asked to step to the side so the "real men" could fight. In any case, whether Xanxus and Gokudera validated his masculinity or not, he couldn't allow them to fight. Tsuna had seen the power of Xanxus's guns and he would hate for the bomber to be a victim of such a destructive weapon. But it was something more than that; Tsuna still couldn't get over Gokudera's confrontation with Shamal. Despite what had happened, his self-proclaimed guardian was too quick to protect him, still not considering his own well being. Gokudera didn't know Xanxus at all, and yet, Gokudera was so sure he would win. Hadn't he learned from last time? "You don't understand…those guns are dangerous."

"Don't worry, I'll win." Gokudera assured Tsuna, but the brunette was not swayed by the bomber's confidence.

_You'll die!_ Tsuna screamed in his head.

Tsuna couldn't let Gokudera fight Xanxus. Actually, he didn't want fighting to happen at all. He needed to stop all of this and since, Gokudera wasn't listening to reason, he turned to Xanxus. His tawny eyes looked straight at the vice president, who was ready to blow Gokudera away as soon as Tsuna stepped away.

"I'm glad you're not copping out." The vice president praised Gokudera.

"Xanxus." Tsuna pleaded.

The scarred Italian growled, seeing that Tsuna still hadn't moved. "Didn't I tell you to move, Brat?"

"You won't fight if I'm in your way." Tsuna stated, he wasn't sure if this was true or not, but it was the only thing he could think of.

"What makes you so sure?" questioned the scarred Italian, his guns moving lower and aimed at the brunette.

"If you dare hurt the Tenth, I'll-" Gokudera started. The angered protector stepped forward to get in front of Tsuna, but the loyal bomber was hindered by Tsuna, who halted the other's movements with his hand.

Tsuna looked up at Xanxus, his tawny irises boring into the other's crimson orbs. He didn't know why, but Tsuna had this gut feeling that Xanxus would not attack unless he moved. If the vice president didn't care about his safety, he wouldn't have asked him to step to the side. And he wouldn't be hesitating to shoot, either. "He wouldn't shoot me." Tsuna declared.

"Wanna bet." To Xanxus that sounded like a challenge and he was urged to show Tsuna otherwise. If he wanted to shoot the brat, he could…and he would! His index fingers gripped the trigger intimately, preparing to shoot. His fingers placed pressure upon the trigger, but he couldn't find the strength to push the trigger down all the way. In the end, Xanxus could not shoot Tsuna. The vice president was surprised to realize that it could be so hard to shoot someone. Usually, it was so easy. Just press, bang and the asshole goes down, never to be heard from again. Did he have it that bad for Tsuna?

"Fine." Xanxus groaned as he walked toward Tsuna, his pistols still aimed at the smaller boy. The brunette's eyes widened and he swallowed hard. Was he wrong about Xanxus not shooting him? As soon as the vice president came within arm's reach, Tsuna jumped, closing his eyes shut, awaiting the blow he was going to received. For moments, nothing happened. Curious, the brunette slowly opened his eyes. A shadow was hovering over his head and when he opened his eyes wider, he was surprised by the sight he saw. The barrels of the pistols were pointed at Xanxus and the handle of the guns was being offered to Tsuna. Tsuna looked to the vice president questionably and the Italian replied. "I don't need them to win."

"That's not the point." Tsuna slowly formed the words. Though, the guns were offered to him the brunette did not want to accept them or even wanted to be in close vicinity of them. The brunette tried once again to settle this diplomatically. "Why are you starting a fight with Gokudera?"

Xanxus glowered as he placed his guns away; Tsuna was not going to move out of the way. And to be honest, he didn't feel like flinging the brat across the room just to take care of the scum behind him, either. Plus was it really fucking worth it, anyway? Even if he got rid of Gokudera, would Tsuna just ignore the fact that he murdered his friend and leap lovingly into his arms? Not a chance in hell. So, he decided not to harm Gokudera…at least, not while Tsuna was around. He crossed his arms over his chest and his eyes focused elsewhere. Xanxus didn't want to give Tsuna any ideas that he was backing down. "I heard that you were having a contest."

Tsuna's eyes widened. "Contest? What contest?"

The vice president turned to Tsuna, to check if the brunette was lying. However, Tsuna looked truly surprised by the statement. Xanxus then looked over to Gokudera, who was looming protectively behind the mascot. Slowly, he was able to place two and two together. The Italian finished. "Apparently, to see who you like the best."

"What?!" Tsuna exclaimed. "No, it's not a contest. It was just that I wanted to be fair and so I decided I wanted to get to know everyone better. And I figured the only way to do that was to have time alone with everyone."

"Sounds like a contest to me." Xanxus replied. There was going to bloodshed, whether Tsuna considered it a possibility or not.

Tsuna sighed, tiredly. "Well, it's not a competition. Plus, contests have prizes. There's nothing to be won here."

Xanxus laughed at Tsuna's naiveté. Didn't he have a clue that he was the fucking prize?! The brat still didn't have any idea why everyone was fussing over him? It was both sad and hilarious at the same time. "Whatever you want to believe, Brat. But I want in."

"You want in?" Tsuna repeated, just to make sure he heard Xanxus right.

"Didn't you want to understand me better?" Xanxus asked slyly, knowing full and well that the brunette was slowly trying to befriend him.

"Yes, I do." The brunette said truthfully and tried to ignore Gokudera's grunt of disapproval at such a statement. Tsuna had wanted Xanxus to open up to him, and he wasn't going to miss out on this opportunity, he might never be given this chance again. He then looked to Xanxus, sternly. "But, you can't pick fights with anyone."

The scarred Italian retorted flatly. "Can't promise that."

"Xanxus." Tsuna whined.

"That should be enough for you. After all, I'm not shooting at pretty boy over there." Xanxus pointed out.

Tsuna figured that was as civil as Xanxus was going to be. It was better than Gokudera and Xanxus fighting, for now. Tsuna nodded. "Okay."

"Good." The vice president smirked, very pleased with himself, and yet, still considering throwing something at Tsuna's guard dog. As he parted to leave, he turned to his sorry excuse of a rival. "See ya later, Schiuma."[1]

"Vaffanculo!"[2] Gokudera curse, watching the smug vice president as he exited the room. The emerald eyed guardian looked to Tsuna. "Tenth, you didn't have to agree to that."

"It's okay. He's not a bad person." The mascot tried to assure Gokudera, but the other did not seem convinced.

"And he wouldn't do anything to hurt me. I know what I'm doing, Gokudera."The brunette told the silver haired bomber. _At least, I hope I do. _Tsuna thought to himself.

"Tenth…" Gokudera said disapprovingly. Tsuna observed the other and realized that his friend's mood had changed. No longer did he looked frowningly upon him, but perhaps discontented instead. "Did you do that to protect me?"

Tsuna frowned at Gokudera. Though, his main reason for including Xanxus in his endeavor to get to know people was to avoid conflict, much of his reasoning was backed by a desire to protect the person who was always protecting him. Pondering on it more and more, the thought left a bad taste in his mouth. He didn't want Gokudera to protect him, but hypocritically, he had done the same thing. "I'm sorry, but I couldn't allow you to fight him."

"How do you think it makes me feel to see you use yourself as a bribe?" The silver haired guardian questioned. Gokudera wasn't yelling at him, but Tsuna felt as if he was being scolded. This had less to do with a bruised ego and more to do with something else.

Tsuna didn't think what he did was so terrible until he heard it through Gokudera's mouth. He started to feel ashamed of himself and it was hard to look his friend in the eye. Perhaps he could have handled himself better, or even offered a better solution. Yet, it was too late for all of that now. The brunette slowly looked Gokudera in the face; he saw a lot of emotions, but the most surprising to Tsuna, was pain. Had he hurt Gokudera from what he did? Then it dawned upon him that his actions were very similar to what Gokudera had done for him with Shamal. The circumstances were different, and Tsuna was not in danger from going on a date with Xanxus, but the act of altruistically giving up one's life for another, Tsuna realized, was more harm than good. Tsuna was learning that the hard way. He had the best intentions, but he ended up hurting his friend in the end.

The mascot moved toward his protective friend and before Gokudera could realize, Tsuna was embracing him. The silver haired teenager didn't know how to handle this. At first, he thought he was out of line by talking to the tenth the way he did. After all, it was his fault for not being a strong enough person, so that the tenth didn't have to worry. Gokudera was upset with himself, and ashamed that the tenth had had to do that to protect him. Gokudera's arms found themselves around the brunette's back, and he held onto the smaller freshman as if he was going to break. He was about to apologize for all that he had said, but he was interrupted by a soft voice.

"I'm sorry, and thank you." Tsuna said gently, his face buried into the other's chest. He then pulled away a little and looked up at Gokudera. "Thank you, Gokudera for reminding me that I must have more self-worth. I'm sorry; after all it's not good to see someone you care about live life so recklessly."

"Tenth…" Gokudera whispered softly as he held onto the brunette.

"Now, I see why you and Xanxus didn't want me involved in the fight. It wasn't that I wasn't considered a man, but that you wanted to protect me. I understand now." Tsuna said thoughtfully.

"I'm sorry, Tenth, if I led you to believe that I thought of you as any less of a man. Forgive me." The silver haired teenager bowed his head in mercy. Usually, he would be banging his head against a hard surface by now, but Tsuna was still hugging onto him. And Gokudera would be damned if he were to let go of the tenth.

The protagonist smiled, happy to see Gokudera back to his old self. Tsuna reminisced about the first time Gokudera had kissed him. Tsuna was amused by a red mark on the bomber's forehead. The brunette could not help but to ease the other's pain by laying a kiss on his forehead. Gokudera looked so charming, then. Now as he gazed up at him with his head bowed down in forgiveness, he was reminded of that time. Tsuna marveled at the way his silver hair fell over his face, his light eyebrows narrowed in determination, and how Gokudera's eyes were closed tight as if afraid to open them. Tsuna didn't know what came over him, but before he knew it, he was leaning into Gokudera and did not halt until their lips touched. It was chaste kiss, a brief brushing of the lips, but that was enough for Gokudera to feel the heat of the brunette's mouth against his. That tantalizing and addictive feeling he felt when he first kissed Tsuna was back. Arousing something within him, but that was brought to a halt quickly. Tsuna broke the kiss, the color of pink imbuing his cheeks. "I forgive you."

Gokudera stared at Tsuna so intently that the mascot started to think that Gokudera didn't like what he had just done. "Um…Gokudera?"

"Tenth, can I kiss you again?" The other blurted out. Gokudera's pleading look reminded Tsuna of a dog wagging its tail. The sparkling gleam of the earnest bomber's emerald eyes grew large as well adding another degree to the begging. As a result, Tsuna's reluctance was slowing eroding.

The brunette couldn't bring himself to say no, even if he was thoroughly embarrassed by the notion. Though, he very afraid of dogs, he couldn't resist Gokudera's charm. "Only if Gokudera continues to play the piano for me."

"Sure." Gokudera agreed with a smile.

****

Gokudera played the piano for the rest of the night. And the boys were too tired from their very eventful night to gather up the strength to walk back to the dorms. So they slept in the Music room together. Actually Tsuna had fallen asleep during one of Gokudera's song, and while Gokudera was covering the smaller boy with his own school blazer, he decided that he would sit with Tsuna until he woke up. One thing lead to another and Tsuna got more comfortable leaning on Gokudera's shoulder and the silver haired teen could not sleep a wink being in such close proximity with Tsuna. His heart was still pounding against his chest and his mind was reliving the highlights of the night.

Gokudera was happy that he had been able to do so many things with Tsuna, and even more so that Tsuna was able to enjoy those things as well. Yet, ambitiously, Gokudera saw this as a sign of victory. Though, he did not know how the others would fair, he could assess that this was one of the best dates that Tsuna had ever had.

_In your face, Baseball freak!_ Gokudera triumphantly thought in his head.

****

The next day,

The class was having a mid-morning break and Tsuna decided to get some air. He decided to walk out in the hallway, where other students were standing around having conversations with each other.Usually the mascot would spend mid-morning breaks with Gokudera and Yamamoto_,_ but today they were separated for midterm evaluations. Much to Gokudera's chagrin_._ Tsuna was also disappointed by this sudden separation, he realized that he hadn't spoken to much people in his class, and he felt very lonely without his two friends with him. Tsuna walked over to a place that was pretty empty, and luckily it was by a window.

_This is turning into a huge mess_, Tsuna considered as he stared out the window. _But it isn't so bad_. It seemed as if the amount of dates was increasing every day, but instead of looking forward to these interactions in dread, the brunette had good expectations for them. He wasn't as nervous as he was yesterday. He had a really good time with Gokudera, and he had no doubt that he wouldn't have fun with everyone else.

"Nice day, isn't it?" A familiar voice came close to Tsuna's ear.

The brunette leapt into the air with a fright, and he twisted around to see the offender. His brown eyes widened as he met a heterochromatic gaze. Those crimson and cobalt irises could only belong to one person. The brunette stiffened against the window as a way to keep the distance between them. However, Tsuna didn't need to. The illusionist kept his distance as well and showed no movements to advance towards him.

Mukuro smirked. "Did I scare you, Tsunayoshi-kun?"

"Mukuro?! What are you doing here?" Tsuna asked in a shaky voice.

"I do attend school here." The delinquent informed the mascot. Tsuna looked down at Mukuro's attire to see that he was, in fact, wearing the school uniform, yet altered to his own personal style. The brunette also recalled that the times he had encountered the illusionist, he had also donned a school uniform. The midnight blue haired demon continued. "But if you are asking if why I am here, in this place, at this time? Then the answer is simple, I came to see you."

"Me?" Tsuna repeated. He then looked suspiciously at the illusionist. "Why?"

Mukuro smiled reticently as he watched Tsuna. Did the brunette have any idea how amusing he was? The midnight blue haired demon then confessed. "Mainly to bare a warning, if you're planning to cut school today."

"How do you know about that?" Tsuna questioned, surprised that the illusionist knew of his plans.

"Kufufu. The walls have ears, Tsunayoshi-kun." Mukuro clued-in the freshman.

"Are you going to stop me?" The brunette assumed that was the reason the illusionist was present.

"Not at all. I'm not insecure." The midnight haired teenager stated, thinking of a certain person when he said this.

Tsuna did not get the allusion, but was amazed to hear this that Mukuro had no intention to stop him. It seemed as if a lot of people have being trying to obstruct him lately, and to hear that Mukuro, of all people, didn't want to stop him, truly astounded Tsuna. The school idol did note that there was something different about Mukuro. Tsuna realized how the illusionist had made no moves to touch him. Usually when they met, the delinquent was all over him, invading his personal space. Yet, now Mukuro seemed aware of this boundary and did not tread on it all. Not that Tsuna missed the other's inappropriate caresses, but it placed more emphasis on Mukuro's weird behavior. "Then, what do you mean? Why are you here to warn me?"

The illusionist smiled knowingly. Coolly Mukuro lounged against the wall and stood against the window that Tsuna had been looking through. He beckoned to the same window. "Take a look outside."

Tsuna looked at Mukuro warily, but obeyed. The protagonist's gaze looked out of the window. At first he didn't see anything, but when he looked down, he noticed a lot of people in dark clothing walking around. When the brunette peered more closely at these people he noticed the familiar armband and distinguishable hairstyles. It was the disciplinary committee! They were swarming the place like bees protecting the hive. Tsuna looked to Mukuro. "W-why are there so many? Hibari-san said I could go."

"He may have said you could go, but he never said he wouldn't stop you…indirectly." Mukuro replied with a smirk.

"What am I going to do?" Tsuna turned back to the window, looking slightly melancholic. The smaller boy's spirits were severely dampened by the whims of a jealous disciplinarian.

Mukuro observed Tsuna. As he had expected the brunette would not take the news he delivered to him well. He also predicted that Tsuna would not have a backup plan. Though it was an upsetting quandary for the protagonist; for Mukuro, it was the opening he had sought. "I can help." Mukuro offered.

The brunette turned back to the illusionist and replied in disbelief. "You? Help?"

"Why is that so hard to believe?" Mukuro wondered as he looked at Tsuna. It was clear that the other was very cautious of him. However, Mukuro was patient and knew the right words to say. "As you know, it's easy for me to go anywhere I wish. I could lend you a hand."

"You would do that for me? And you wouldn't be expecting anything in return?" The beloved school idol started to consider Mukuro's offer.

"I'm doing this out of the goodness of my heart." The delinquent claimed placing a hand over his heart.

Tsuna's brown eyes narrowed. "I don't believe you."

Mukuro beamed, Tsuna hit the nail on the head. He would never do anything unless it benefitted him. "Even so, do you have a better idea?"

Tsuna opened his mouth to say something, but closed it. Without Mukuro, what could he do? He couldn't go personally to the committee to clear this up. The committee listened to Hibari, and even if they did listen to Tsuna, the retaliation of defying their leader would be great. Something Tsuna didn't want to be responsible for. Going to Hibari was out of the question, since he was sure the disciplinary leader would not relent. There was nothing he could do, alone, but Mukuro did shine some hope into his hopeless situation. However, Tsuna was still very suspicious. The illusionist was up to something, Tsuna didn't know of what nature, but he decided to keep alert around the heterochromatic devil. Tsuna surrendered. "Okay, I could use your help."

Mukuro grinned from ear to ear. "I'm happy to hear it."

"What will you do?" Tsuna inquired.

The illusionist checked off the list of the many things that he could do. "A number of things. I could create a heavy fog, cause a distraction and even cloak you and Yamamoto's presence entirely."

"You can do all of that?" The brunette asked, excitedly.

"Yes, but it'll be quite a strenuous chore." The teenager whined as he gazed tiredly at Tsuna, getting his point across.

Tsuna was amazed by how perceptive he was around Mukuro. "You want something from me."

"Kufufu. Just a small token of gratitude." The taller boy said ambiguously.

"What do you want?" The brunette peered at the other with distrust.

The dark blue haired demon proposed. "If I help you run off on your date with Yamamoto, then it is only fair that you go on a date with me, too."

_What part of that is a **small** token of gratitude?!_ Tsuna thought to himself as he eyed Mukuro, incredibly.

"Fair is fair, Tsunayoshi-kun." Pressed Mukuro, knowing that the brunette could not deny him. After all, Tsuna wanted to be just to everyone. Everyone meant he was included.

Tsuna cursed himself for not seeing this coming. His suspicions had warned him about the delinquent. He then conceded, reluctantly. "Fine."

"Through gritted teeth." Mukuro observed the brunette's disinclination. Yet, instead of taking it to the heart, he decided to tease Tsuna. The illusionist smirked as he invaded Tsuna's personal space, running his gloved hands up the sides of mascot's clothed abdomen. He noticed the mascot tense under his touch, but the brunette's large brown eyes were unwavering and stayed trained on the wicked teen. "Do you hate me that much?"

"I don't hate you. I just dislike these roundabout methods of yours." Tsuna clarified holding in a shiver as Mukuro ran his hands over his chest and then stopping at his neck.

"Then you want me to be more straightforward?" The heterochromatic eyed demon drew closer.

"No." breathed Tsuna. He then thought about it more. "……Maybe." Mukuro leaned into the smaller boy, not at all ashamed that he was pouncing on the brunette in the middle of the hallway, where everyone could see. Tsuna stiffened, but he made no attempt to stop Mukuro. One of the illusionist's arms was placed on to the wall for support as his other gloved hand cupped Tsuna's chin, Mukuro's long fingers lightly touching the corners of the brunette's mouth. Tsuna closed his eyes when the illusionist came alarming too close. He just waited for the kiss. Perhaps if Mukuro got what he wanted the demon would leave quicker. Despite Tsuna's attitude about this, unconsciously he showed Mukuro differently. The brunette slightly leaned up to the other as Mukuro was making his descent. The illusionist observed how Tsuna's pink lips were slightly parted, and it looked as if the school mascot was itching for him to kiss him, rather than trying to speed things. Mukuro just hovered over the mascot, a huge grin tugging on his lips.

"Do you want me to kiss you that bad?" Mukuro whispered against Tsuna's lips and smirked when the other's eyes shot open, to see the illusionist inches away, gazing down at him.

Tsuna turned beet red at this claim. Did he really want to be kissed by Mukuro?! Impossible! Or was it? Tsuna was addled by his own actions and just wanted to get out of this situation altogether. He broke out of the illusionist's grasp. "I-I've got to go to class now."

Mukuro allowed Tsuna to run away from him, his mismatched eyes watched as the blushing mascot walked over to his classroom.

"Tsunayoshi-kun." Mukuro called out to Tsuna in a serious tone. The brown haired teenager stopped in his tracks and turned to Mukuro. "I'll let you go for now, but be aware that on our date, I will not hold back."

Tsuna didn't know how to take that. Mukuro's voiced sounded scary and the illusionist eyes were swirling with so many things; thoughts, emotions, and desires; something Tsuna was obviously oblivious to. Even though he saw all these things he could not decipher the look Mukuro was giving him. What did it mean? What was he trying to tell him? He wished Mukuro would stop being so cryptic, and tell him what he truly meant. "I'm not agreeing to that." The brunette said flatly, as he crossed his arms above his stomach.

The illusionist only smirked as if Tsuna had said something very amusing. "We shall see."

As Tsuna watched Mukuro amble down the hall, he had a feeling that his date with Mukuro would be a very interesting and terrifying experience. The brunette turned around and walked into his classroom. Tsuna's ingress into the classroom ended up being a rally of all his classmates. Being suddenly surrounded by the lot made the freshman incredibly nervous, wondering what happened to cause such a stir.

"Sawada-san, are you okay?" A blue haired student asked.

Tsuna blinked at what was said. When his large eyes panned around to all the faces that looked upon him, he noticed all of them seem concerned. Why? Tsuna panicked as he realized that they could have witnessed what happened in the hallway. What did they think of him now? From afar, it probably looked like him and Mukuro were kissing or doing something intimate and inappropriate.

"Did he hurt you?" Another student questioned, looking as frantic as the rest that crowded around him.

"No." Tsuna finally said. Mukuro was a bit…flirtatious, a teaser and a schemer, but the illusionist had never placed his life in danger. He never harmed him, well, except when he molested him. But besides those things, Mukuro was pretty safe to be around, as long as you didn't listen to a word the other said or was in a room alone with him. Tsuna paused in his musings and found it very hard to prove that Mukuro was actually a nice person.

A breath of relief was released from the group, making the brunette even more curious of their actions. "Why are you so worried about Mukuro?"

The group of worried students fell silent, and slowly a new voice told him. "He's dangerous."

"Dangerous?" Tsuna repeated. Of course, Tsuna knew this already, but he realized the students had a different reason why they perceived Mukuro as perilous.

"I don't know if it's true or not, but there are rumors going on about him." Said the blue haired boy that had first spoken revealed. "I heard that he was into witchcraft."

"Someone said he was the anti-Christ." An unfamiliar voice claimed.

"They say, he tried to kill the principal, but failed." Another confessed.

"The principal?!" Tsuna exclaimed. From what he heard about the principal, he was a nice and kind hearted person. And from what he knew of Mukuro, the illusionist didn't seem the type to kill someone. The brunette couldn't bring himself to believe that was true, it was too out of character for Mukuro and perhaps there was more to the story.

"Be careful, Sawada-san." The blue haired boy warned.

Tsuna nodded and smiled at everyone. Yet, he still was put off about the rumors about Mukuro. Were they true? Could Mukuro really hurt someone? What kind of relationship did Mukuro have with the principal? The only way Tsuna was going to find out was to ask Mukuro himself.

* * *

Shouichi was in the student council office sorting through some papers. Usually when the student council had these big events, there was a lot of paperwork to take care of. And since the principal gave them full responsibility for the Maid Café, there was even more paperwork than usual. The other student council members were not present, obviously Hibari never associated with them; the vice president was so angry about the last few days of picking up Byakuran's slack, that he refused to help; the class representative, Squalo, was probably doing his own duties or advocating Xanxus on his strike; and lastly Spanner had the biggest job of everyone, not only did the treasurer have to make all the costumes, design and decorate the maid café, but the otaku was also backed up with Byakuran's assignments as well. Shouichi wondered if he should go visit Spanner to see how he was fairing, but he knew that the treasurer could handle it.

In the midst of finishing a stack of papers, the student council office door suddenly slammed open, sending all of his hard work scattered amongst the floor. The secretary's green eyes looked over to the doorframe to see a familiar figure. Leaning on the threshold was the student president, but Byakuran wasn't his usual self. The white haired teen seemed fatigued and weak.

"S-Shou-chan…w-what's up?" Byakuran said slowly.

Shouichi stood up from the desk and greeted the student president. "Byakuran-sama, you've returned."

Before, Byakuran could utter a witty reply, the student president collapsed on to the floor. Falling face first with a "ow" emitted.

"Byakuran-sama!" The red haired boy raced over to the president. He carefully turned the other on to his back. The president looked like he was struggling to keep his eyes open. "What happened?"

The student president weakly looked up at his secretary. "Shou-chan, the first aid kit, please."

"Of course!" Shouichi answered as he shot up and went to retrieve the kit. The kit was found in the bottom of the desk draw, and Shouichi was glad that they had invested in one, for instances like these. The redhead then came back to where he left the weakened teen. He handed the object over to the fallen president, who took it graciously. "Are you hurt?"

"T-thank you." Byakuran opened the First Aid kit, revealing the student president's stash of sweets. Shouichi's jaw dropped in awe and he watched as Byakuran surveyed the contents of the kit, picking out a chocolate chip cookie. He quickly consumed it.

Shouichi dared to ask. "Um…what happened to the medical supplies in that kit?"

"I threw those away long ago. We don't need them." Byakuran said thoughtlessly as he ate a handful of gummy bears.

"What do you mean we don't need them?! What if someone gets hurt, then what will we do?!" The secretary shrieked, not believing what he was hearing. There was a reason for first aid kits, and Shouichi knew it wasn't a place to hide sweets.

"Shou-chan, why are you yelling? Can't you see I'm recovering?" Byakuran rebuked Shouichi, but before his secretary could put his hands around his neck and strangle him. He explained the reason for his weary entrance. "That horrible airline had the nerve of having no sweets on that fifteen hour flight. I thought I wasn't going to make it."

Shouichi tried to calm down, this was how the student president was. He had very low blood sugar, and so he consumed a lot of sweets to compensate. If Byakuran didn't have his sugar, he was unproductive, immobile and weakened. Although, even fully charged with sugar, he was still unproductive. Nothing could be helped when it came to Byakuran's idleness.

"What did I miss?" A fully recovered Byakuran asked, setting aside the first aid kit, so he could get off the floor.

"A lot. The Maid Café still has a few things that need to be done. Xanxus-sama is pretty angry at you. Also, the principal threatened to shoot you as well. And Spanner is still working on the costumes-" Shouichi began.

Byakuran shook his head and clarified. "Not that stuff, I'm talking about Tsu-chan."

"Sawada-san?" Shouichi questioned raising an eyebrow.

"Yea, I was wondering how Tsu-chan was doing." Inquired Byakuran, who seemed determined to have his question answered.

Shouichi crossed his arms over his chest. "If you have time to think about Sawada-san, how about you take a minute to think about all the work that needs to be done?"

"Is it true, Shou-chan?" Byakuran hadn't listening to Shouichi's lecture. His mind was elsewhere. "I heard from an informant that Tsu-chan was….dating?"

"An informant?" Shouichi raised an eyebrow, wondering who this informant was and why did the president needed to keep track of Sawada-san? His president definitely had a problem…maybe even an obsession. The red haired secretary frowned, wondering if he should truly tell the president what he knew. In the end, Shouichi couldn't withhold information from Byakuran. He had heard about something like this from his classmates. Tsuna was a hot topic at Namimori and, of course, word of him going on dates was spreading like wildfire. Though, he wasn't sure if it was true or not. He started, looking sympathetically at his classmate. "Well…"

"So it is true…" The fair haired boy gathered from the few words that Shouichi uttered. At first, the president seemed a bit disheartened by the news. Something passed over the other's lilac eyes. An emotion, Shouichi rarely saw in Byakuran, but as quick as it had came, the fleeting emotion was gone. As if the president was aware of his slip, and didn't want it to be witnessed. The president bounced back, stating in his usual sing-song tone. "I can't wait until I'm asked."

"What makes you so sure that you'll be asked?" Shouichi asked.

Byakuran grinned at Shouichi. "Because I left a very _good_ impression on Tsu-chan."

_In order words, you molested him._ Shouichi thought to himself.

The president pouted at his red haired secretary. "I told you my hand slipped, Shou-chan."

"You can hear what I'm thinking?" Shouichi said, astonished.

"It's my fourth secret skill." Byakuran grinned slyly.

Shouichi looked at the president as if he had grown another head. The president had known that he thought of him as lazy and a pervert. And Byakuran had found out long ago that he was the one who ate the president's last slice of Oreo cheesecake. Not knowing how to take this revelation, Shouichi decided to change topics. There were some things that people just didn't want to know. "Was Sawada-san the reason you rushed back?"

"No, that wasn't the only reason. I brought a friend back with me." The president revealed. The curious teenager began to look at the paperwork Shouichi had been sorting through before he had arrived. His interest faded when he saw too many boring words pushed together in very small print.

Shouichi's interest was piqued. "A friend?"

"Yes." Byakuran confirmed as he started walking towards the door. "But, I'll introduce him to you later. Right now, I've got to find-"

"Not so fast." Shouichi grabbed the student president by the collar, halting the white haired wanderer from leaving. With a bit of momentum, the secretary managed to yank Byakuran back into the room. "You're not going anywhere, Byakuran-sama, until we finish this paperwork."

"But Shou-chan…." Byakuran whined as he tried to reach for the doorframe. His fingertips were a half an inch away from touching it before he was dragged back by a surprisingly strong Shouichi.

"I don't want to hear it, Byakuran-sama. You're getting this work done!" Shouichi put his foot down. He knew Byakuran just came from a fifteen hour flight and that the teenager must be tired from his journey, but if the other had time to wander about the school, then he could help him out. Plus, Xanxus was right. Byakuran was always doing disappearing acts when the work started piling up and he always left them with all the work. The president did need to do his share.

"You're no fair, Shou-chan." The student president glowered at the secretary, kicking at nearby furniture.

_Act your age, Byakuran-sama._ Shouichi rolled his eyes as he watched his very childish leader throw a tantrum.

"I heard that, Shou-chan."

* * *

Tsuna managed to change out of his uniform and sneakily got outside of the lecture building without being noticed. Now all Tsuna had to worry about was getting to the baseball field, undetected to meet Yamamoto. He was sure Yamamoto would have no problem getting past the disciplinary committee, but he himself, on the other hand, was another story. He was even surprised that he had been able to get to this point. He wasn't good at sneaking around. He just hoped that Mukuro held his end of bargain and perhaps that would open up an opportunity for him to meet up with his baseball obsessed friend.

The brunette waited for Mukuro to do his magic, while concealing his presence from Hibari's committee. Unbeknownst to the protagonist, a figure crept behind him.

"Tsuna." A voice called out to him.

The brunette jumped from shock and swiftly turned around to see if he had been caught. Relief washed over Tsuna when he realized that he had not screwed up royally, but had been called by Yamamoto. "But, I thought you would be at the baseball field?"

"I came to get you." Yamamoto replied, standing close to Tsuna. "Plus, I couldn't get there with so many committee members surrounding the place. It's like they know about our meeting place."

"Well, Yamamoto…" The protagonist looked awkwardly at his friend. "Hibari found out, but I thought he was okay with it. Otherwise, I would have asked if we could change the date."

Yamamoto then smiled knowingly, "That makes sense."

_Why was I the only one who genuinely thought he wanted me to go?!_ The brunette pondered to himself.

"How are we going to get pass them?" Tsuna observed Yamamoto as he gazed out of their hiding place. The tall athlete seemed pretty determined to figure out a solution.

The brunette slowly revealed. "I have someone working on it."

Yamamoto turned to Tsuna, wondering who this someone was. "Is this person a friend of yours?"

"Not really, but he decided to do me a favor." Tsuna lied.

"Lucky for us, huh?" Yamamoto replied quietly. His dark brown eyes then caught something passed Tsuna. A sharp instinct told him something was going on. He prepared himself, but then relaxed when he realized that it wasn't an enemy. He pointed pass Tsuna. "Is that your friend's work?"

Tsuna looked in front of him and noticed that the whole schoolyard was blanketed in a heavy mist. It was getting so thick; it was hard to make out the landscape of the school. Nevertheless, Tsuna was very impressed by Mukuro's abilities. "That was fast."

Suddenly, there was a loud bang from the outside school and then the earth shook. The sudden disturbance sent all the committee members running in that direction. While Tsuna was wondering what the source of all the commotion was, Yamamoto got up from his place, taking it as a cue to go.

The baseball fanatic grabbed Tsuna's hand and pulled him along. "Tsuna, let's go."

"Right." Tsuna replied as he followed.

Both of them raced blindly into mist, hoping that they wouldn't be caught by the disciplinary committee. However, it was hard figuring out where to go in this thick fog. Tsuna knew that Yamamoto had a bad sense of direction and even his sense of direction was out of whack in this fog. Still both of them kept running until they saw something that looked familiar.

"Look there, Tsuna." Yamamoto pointed out to the brunette what looked like the end of the mist. In this particular area, the mist was slowly dispersing allowing them to see more clearly. Luckily, they managed to run up to the school gates. Tsuna wondered if it was some act of fate or the guidance of a certain heterochromatic demon. Tsuna and Yamamoto were nearly home free when they saw two committee members standing by the gates.

"Stop! Who's there?!" One of the pompadour headed guards asked them. Yamamoto impulsively stood in front of Tsuna, to protect him, but such efforts were not needed. Mukuro had them covered. As soon as the disciplinary members stepped toward them, the mist thickened and the sight of Yamamoto and Tsuna had disappeared completely from their field of vision. Confused, the members began looking around for the duo, unaware that they have not left their spots and that two guards were still visibly to the escaping students. "Where did they go?"

"They can't see us." Yamamoto chuckled at this amusing spectacle.

CRASH! Another disruption was heard from the distance and it was able rip the guards away from their post to check out the chaos. Yamamoto pulled Tsuna along when the remaining disciplinary members' forms have completely vanished from sight.

"Come on, Tsuna!" The baseball fanatic rushed forward, and the brunette echoed his steps.

They entered the wooded area that surrounded their school and it didn't take them long to find the path that lead into town.

"We made it." Tsuna said happily as he caught his breath.

"That was interesting." Yamamoto commented as he allowed Tsuna to catch his breath. He guessed that Tsuna didn't run often.

Besides the feeling of his heart threatening to burst and his adrenaline pumping from nearly being caught, Tsuna didn't have time to be nervous or even feel awkward around Yamamoto. Though, they were finally able to freely go on their date, he didn't feel as uncomfortable as he did with Gokudera. Perhaps because Gokudera was also nervous, which made him feel tense, but Yamamoto was his usual self, so Tsuna just followed suit without knowing. "So where are we going?"

"Into town." Yamamoto answered and then light-hearted disclosed, "I didn't have anywhere in mind to take you. So I thought that would be the best choice, since there's lots of stuff to do there. Last time when we came with everyone, we didn't get to explore much either."

"That's a good idea actually." Tsuna said had wanted to explore the town of Namimori more on their last visit, but he had a good reason for not taking advantage of that venture. He remembered how everyone made a scene at Bello Cielo, the Italian restaurant they had all dined at, and Tsuna had just wanted to leave as quickly as possible. However, now he understood that the reason everyone was acting that way was to gain his attention. So it was truly his fault for their behavior. "Actually, I was hankering for a hamburger."

"Me too." The dark haired athlete beamed, "I guess we'll get lunch first."

* * *

Mukuro watched the mayhem he created and it brought him back to that time when he first came to this school. He wanted to be thought as a delinquent and did whatever was in his power to give the principal and Hibari a hard time. Some hated him, others admired him, and most feared him. He had nearly forgotten how much fun it was.

The blue haired illusionist turned to his co-conspirators. "Good job, I was able to hold my end of the bargain due to your assistance."

"Is it really okay, Mukuro-sama?" Ken asked. It had been bothering him for a long time that Mukuro would do a favor for someone. Especially a weak, little rabbit like Tsuna. He just didn't understand what his leader was getting out of this. "To help _him_?"

"Ken…" Chikusa began to rebuke. It wasn't his place to question Mukuro.

"I did what I was asked." Mukuro explained discreetly as he looked to the two. A mischievous grin formed on his lips. "But…he never said anything about not disrupting his date."

"I could do it, Mukuro-sama." Ken volunteered, and Chikusa actually looked eager to give his support as well. However, Mukuro couldn't have that. If something went awry, he didn't want Tsuna to find out that he was the one who orchestrated it. He trusted Chikusa to keep silent, but Ken could slip something in a fit of anger or excitement. He couldn't take that risk. He still was on thin ice with Tsuna, and anything could threaten to break what little trust the brunette had in him.

"Don't worry; it's already taken care of." Mukuro assured them. His associates looked at him with interest, wondering how he had taken care of the matter. Yet, the illusionist's lips were sealed with a mischievous curve. What he had told Tsuna earlier still hold true, the walls did indeed have ears. Which meant he didn't have to worry at all about disrupting Tsuna's date, because some convenient fellow would already be a step ahead him.

* * *

The brunette's big brown eyes surveyed the town. The town of Namimori looked much different during the day, than at night. It was much livelier, more people were about and it seemed more businesses were open to the public. But, no one their age was here. They were probably in school, where they should be. Yet, Tsuna felt not one pang of guilt.

Tsuna turned to Yamamoto, who was dreamingly sipping at his drink. They had grabbed lunch earlier and decided to walk around to figure out what to do. While eating he had learned a few things about the baseball fanatic. Yamamoto also lived in Tokyo and his father owned his owned a sushi restaurant. Tsuna was awed, but he didn't get his fill of information. There seemed to be much more to Yamamoto than met the eye. Although, Tsuna thought of him as the most normal of everyone at school, he had some suspicion that he wasn't ordinary. So, the freshman prompted the baseball fanatic to speak more of himself. "What do you like…besides baseball?"

"Festivals, I guess." Yamamoto said pensively as he finished off his drink. "The taiko drums, the games and the food. I like them all."

The taller boy then added. "I also like watching those old samurai movies. My father is a big fan of Toshiro Mifune."[3]

"I never thought you'd be into that." Tsuna said surprised.

"Not a lot of people do." Yamamoto beamed, but it wasn't a happy smile. "Most people see me play baseball and assume that I can't handle a sword either."

Tsuna's eyes widened. "You can use a sword?"

"Only a little, but I still have a long way to go." Yamamoto said modestly.

"But that's still pretty cool, Yamamoto, I wish I could use a sword. I'd probably end up cutting myself." Tsuna grimaced having an image of his totally failure at handling a weapon.

"What do you like, Tsuna?" The baseball fanatic pressed, wondering what kind of interests the brunette had.

"Well…my interests are more boring than yours." Tsuna started, realizing that he couldn't compare to Yamamoto. His interests were very ordinary…maybe even plain. But he did agree to also talk about himself and he was sure Yamamoto wouldn't judge him. "I like video games, music, and manga…those kinds of things."

"You're not interested in sports?" The other asked curiously. Though, he already knew the answer.

"No." Tsuna said as he shook his head, "I wasn't involved in school activities. I was a part of the go straight home club."

"Ironic that you're very involved in school now." Yamamoto chuckled.

"That's true." Tsuna smiled. When he had been at home, he had cringed at the thought of socialization. He was bad at interacting with others, mostly because his lack of confidence and being a target of bullying. His life here was much different, though he was the same person. Nothing about him had changed, just the environment.

"So, are we going to walk around all day?" Yamamoto joked, though he was happy to do a simple thing with Tsuna. Usually, it was Tsuna, Gokudera and him. And though it was fun bantering with Gokudera every now and then, but he felt walking with Tsuna, alone, was just as fun…maybe more so. Then Yamamoto spotted something and began to bring up the idea to Tsuna. "How about this?"

****

Tsuna tried to calm down, but some of his greatest fears were rolled up in one nice package. Darkness, Fog (because of a certain person) and being trapped within an enclosed space. Right now, he was huddle in alcove, trying to figure out his next move. Every move he made, Yamamoto was somehow able to outwit him. The baseball fanatic was in the lead, of course, and it was well earned.

For someone who had such a carefree countenance, Yamamoto differently knew his way around a battlefield. He was very adaptable, able to excel in any situation. Tsuna was impressed; he had never seen this side of Yamamoto. He had never known someone could be ruthlessly competitive and yet, still be fun. But then again, Yamamoto was an enigma.

Tsuna stilled, flattening his body against the alcove as he felt a presence. He went stiff as the light of laser gun flashed behind him. The brunette ran from his hiding place and into the trap Yamamoto had set. Tsuna thought the athlete was behind him, but he was actually in front. When the freshman saw his friend before him, it was too late. He was hit once again. One more hit and the game was over.

"Gotcha again, Tsuna." Yamamoto said good-naturedly, but by the gleam of the athlete's dark eyes, the brunette knew he meant business. Both of the boys gun flashed violently as it acknowledge the recent blow Tsuna had taken. The brunette scurried away as the laser gun recharged for the last shot. As he went to find his next hiding place, he wondered how Yamamoto had found him. Was he that predictable? Although, all he had been doing was hiding from the very beginning, he thought he had picked very good hiding places. _Wait…_Tsuna started to think. _He knows I'll just hide and that I won't attack him back._

The brunette began to formulate an idea. He would hide like usual; he didn't want to throw Yamamoto off just yet. He waited for the baseball fanatic, gun ready, but his grip was still shaky. Through the darkness Tsuna realized the streak of color that belonged to his friend's gun. Yamamoto was close, but Tsuna was prepared. The baseball fanatic was on to him and coming in for the kill. As soon as the baseball fanatic came into view, Tsuna shot at him with his gun and got the taller boy in the chest, setting off his shield that now flashed the number one. Yamamoto was not expecting that. He was expecting to get a perfect score, five to zero. The athlete paused, but realized that Tsuna was still trapped in his hiding place. He took his last shot and the lights came on. The game was over.

"I win, but I wasn't expecting that." Yamamoto admitted.

"I don't even know where that came from." Tsuna smiled as he followed Yamamoto, exiting the laser tag room. Yamamoto had decided to take Tsuna to the local arcade and was surprised to learn that Tsuna had never played laser tag. "That was fun."

Yamamoto smiled mysteriously as Tsuna said that. Playing laser tag with Tsuna was fun, but he found his amusement in a different way. Maybe it was the adrenaline rush, or something primal that lurked within every man, but he got some sort of thrill by looking for Tsuna, someone who was more vulnerable than he was. He dismissed the thought; it made him seem like some kind of caged animal.

Over the beeping and other sounds that games in the Arcade emitted, Tsuna was able to hear a cry of some sort. The brunette turned in the direction of the loud shouting and it didn't take him long to see Ryohei in the distance. The boxer then turned in their direction.

"Sawada!!!!" Ryohei roared as the upperclassmen spotted them. The boxer looked even more fired up than usual. However, Tsuna was first to notice that Ryohei wasn't extremely determined, but extremely angry. Yamamoto's smile faltered a bit as he also noticed the upperclassmen's different behavior.

"Sasagawa-san…what are you doing here?" Tsuna greeted as the boxer came closer, but Ryohei ignored him and glared at Yamamoto.

"Senpai?" Yamamoto questioned, wary of the boxer.

In a blink of an eye, Ryohei had grabbed the collar of Yamamoto's shirt. The boxer would have succeeded in lifting the baseball athlete off the ground, if Yamamoto hadn't prevented this by placing a hand on the boxer's arm. The smile on Yamamoto's face was wiped clear and was replaced with colder looking brown eyes. Yamamoto was completely serious as Ryohei glared at him. Tsuna didn't know how to take this at first. First it was Xanxus and Gokudera and now, he was watching Yamamoto and Ryohei go through the same motions.

Tsuna turned to Ryohei. "What are you doing, Sasagawa-san?"

"This guy is extremely disloyal." Ryohei said to Tsuna, but his gray eyes were glued to Yamamoto. He had considered Yamamoto as his friend, and when he had heard that his supposed friend was out with Tsuna, he had felt extremely betrayed. Then he said to Yamamoto. "How could you go after Sawada?"

Tsuna frowned realizing what had angered Ryohei. He probably thought Yamamoto went behind his back and asked him out. "It's not like that, Sasagawa-san."

"Tsuna asked me out." Yamamoto finally said.

"Sawada did?" Ryohei turned to Tsuna. "Is this true?"

The brunette slowly nodded. "Yes…"

Ryohei released Yamamoto from his powerful grip and became very quiet. This was the most silent that the boxer has ever been and it seemed so out of character for Ryohei not to be yelling or in motion. Yet, the upperclassmen had not uttered a word and he had not moved an inch…something was differently wrong.

"Sasagawa-san?" Tsuna began, wondering if the other was okay.

Tsuna's voice must have awoken the other out of his stupor, because suddenly he exclaimed, unhappily. "I'm extremely disappointed!!!"

Yamamoto and Tsuna exchanged looks; the tall baseball fanatic seemed just as surprised as Tsuna. The freshman felt bad, he was the reason why Ryohei was not like himself and now he had made the upperclassmen sad. He had to fix this.

"Sasagawa-san, I didn't forget you. I know that you like me." Tsuna started and when the boxer turned to him, he felt relieved that he could fix this. "I was planning to ask you on a date as well, but I couldn't find you."

"You were?" Ryohei said.

The brunette smiled at the boxer. "Of course."

Ryohei picked the smaller boy and swung him around in circles. "I'm extremely happy!!!"

_Put me down?!_ The helpless mascot screamed inside his mind.

Finally, Ryohei placed the freshman down and Tsuna, who was dizzy and disoriented, stumbled about trying to gain his footing in a world that was spinning.

"Tsuna…" Yamamoto began to move forward seeing Tsuna beginning to fall over.

Ryohei stepped forward, extending his hands out to reach for the brunette. "Sawada…"

Both boys managed to catch Tsuna before he fell. The school mascot looked to the two of them and frowned. "Why are you both spinning so fast?"

Yamamoto laughed and turned to Ryohei. "We'll see you at school."

Ryohei gave an unfriendly look to Yamamoto, which the baseball jock mirrored, but then the boxer nodded. Now he could return to school satisfied. He had to tell that gay guy that he managed to get a date with Tsuna, even after he called him hopeless. And also ask him what a date was? "See ya, Sawada."

"Okay." Tsuna's world had stopped spinning in time to see that weird look Ryohei shared with Yamamoto, and he wondered what all of that was about. He watched the boxer leave and turned to the baseball player as soon as he disappeared. "Yamamoto?"

"Are you okay?" The athlete asked.

"I think so…" Said the brunette, although he still felt woozy.

"Was it fun, being swung around like that?" Yamamoto laughed.

"No…" Tsuna frowned, but in some way it was fun. "You really are carefree. If it was Gokudera, he would have been angry and probably would have started a fight with Ryohei."

Yamamoto grew serious. "I'm not Gokudera."

The mascot nodded. "You two are different people."

However, he didn't think Yamamoto and Gokudera were much different. That looked that Yamamoto shared with Ryohei was pretty aggressive. Perhaps, if he had handle things better, this hostility could have been avoided. He hated to witness his friends fighting with each other. Tsuna then added, remorsefully. "Yamamoto, I'm sorry. If I had told Sasagawa earlier, perhaps that wouldn't have happened."

"Why do you say that?" The taller boy asked. "I did warn you that the others wouldn't like it."

"But I didn't think Sasagawa-san would react like that."

"He wasn't angry at you, Tsuna. He was angry with me, because he thought I went behind his back."Explained Yamamoto. "I would be upset with senpai if I felt he betrayed me, too."

"I see."

"I was kind of scared, though. Senpai has one heck of a punch." The taller boy teased as he ran a hand through his short, dark hair.

Tsuna smiled at Yamamoto, but he still felt very responsible for what happened. "I'm still very sorry."

"It's not your fault and I don't blame you for what happened, but do you understand why Senpai did that?" Yamamoto asked the brunette.

Tsuna thought about it, but shook his head. He really didn't know. Was there more to Ryohei's actions than he realized?

"Or even, why Hibari was trying to stop us?" Yamamoto added.

"It's obvious that Hibari-san didn't want me to go." The mascot stated with a slight frown.

The baseball fanatic laughed. "That's right. The truth is we all don't like to share, Tsuna." Then Yamamoto's expression switched for cheery to more serious. "We want you all to ourselves."

The brunette blushed at these words, but he felt terrible. Was he making everyone fight over him or even place everyone in a position where they had to fight for him? He didn't want that. He looked to Yamamoto, remorsefully. "Sorry."

"But don't stop doing what you have to do. We are cooperating." Yamamoto kindly told Tsuna.

"Cooperating?" Tsuna thought about it and it seemed true. He thought of everyone who had laid down their sword for him. He hadn't realized it, but it was there. Hibari allowed him to go out with Yamamoto, even though he didn't want to. Gokudera grudgingly allowed him to go on dates with Dino, Yamamoto and Xanxus. Xanxus agreed not to harm Gokudera…even though he really, really wanted to. Mukuro had offered to help him and surprisingly carried out their bargain to the fullest. Now Ryohei was also biting his tongue in some form or another. Even Yamamoto knew full and well he was going out with other people, but he didn't hold it against him. Everyone was cooperating (in their own bizarre way) to make him happy. He truly was an idiot!

"Yamamoto, thank you for saying that." Tsuna said softly.

"Just thought you should know." The dark haired athlete said modestly and then he shrugged. "Plus, this is all I can do. I'll cooperate with everyone else, but I don't plan to lose."

When Yamamoto told Tsuna that he wasn't planning to lose, something surged through him. In those milk chocolate depths, he saw intense determination. It was the same determination the athlete had toward baseball or whenever he played any sport. He was serious about what he said; he wasn't willing to lose to anyone when it came to him. That thought alone made the brunette's heart beat a bit faster and encouraged Tsuna to move in closer.

The baseball fanatic watched Tsuna approach him. His actions were timid, but sincere. Yamamoto met him halfway, placing a hand lightly against the other's soft and heated cheek before diving in. He pressed his mouth against Tsuna's and the fireworks went off. The warmth he felt from the brunette was sailing down his soul, beckoning things dark and seductive. But Tsuna broke the kiss before he could succumb to the wishes of his body; Yamamoto was very tempted to listen.

Tsuna turned away from Yamamoto, either to hide his embarrassment or his own desire to continue the kiss. He then commented. "For someone so carefree, you are very perceptive."

"No, it's nothing like that." Yamamoto grinned charismatically. "Do you want to go another round? Maybe this time, you can shoot me with both eyes open."

Tsuna glared at the baseball player and accepted Yamamoto's challenge. "You're on."

****

Yamamoto won, but Tsuna did try his best. Tsuna managed to hit him twice and he was more involved in the game, it was a huge improvement from the first game they played. After the laser tag, they played other games and decided to head back to campus. However, the way back was much longer than they anticipated. It hadn't taken them this long to get to town, but it was taking them longer to get back the school. The sky was become darker and the sun was setting in the horizon, which made the brunette stand closer to and grabbed on to his hand.

"Yamamoto, it's getting dark. Are you sure we're going the right way?" The smaller boy whispered, his large eyes were not on him, but glued to the trees. As if he was expecting something to jump out from them.

"Not sure." Yamamoto said, keeping his voice as neutral as possible. He then pointed to a particular tree. "Yep, I knew it. We passed that same tree a half a hour ago."

"We're going in circles?!"Tsuna exclaimed, starting to panic. He then looked frantically around for another possible trail or some sign to lead in the right direction. "Maybe, we should go back, or this way?"

_This feels like Déjà Vu for some reason…_Tsuna thought to himself as he hunted for any sign of the school, or even the town. He saw nothing. However, he couldn't deny what he felt. This had happened to him before. Realizing something the brunette looked to Yamamoto. _Wait…_

The mascot gazed at the taller boy suspiciously. "Yamamoto, did you do this on purpose?"

Yamamoto smiled, but his smile didn't give him away. He released his hand from the brunette's hold and draped his arms around the smaller boy's shoulders. Tsuna looked at Yamamoto in awe as he gazed at him, inches away from his face. "What would give you that idea, Tsuna?"

Tsuna didn't use any words to answer his question. The blush staining the young boy's cheeks answered it for him. Yamamoto was willing to let Tsuna date other people, but for a little bit longer, he wanted to have Tsuna selfishly for himself. In his arms, only looking at him, feeling the freshman against his mouth…and he laughed away a thought of locking Tsuna in a castle far, far away. That would be something that Gokudera would be tempted to do.

Chapter Seventeen End

Schiuma – Scum, in Italian

Vaffanculo – Fuck you, in Italian

Toshiro Mifune- A famous Japanese Actor who starred in old samurai movies

------------------

Author's Note: Does anyone read these anymore? I hope so…because the winning outfit for Tsuna to wear at the Maid Café is BONDAGE CATBOY! Though, Angelic Lolita was very close to winning. Thank you for those who voted. I hoped you liked this chapter. It was fun to write, but difficult. I wanted to show a different side of Yamamoto. Of most Yamamoto x Tsuna/ 8027 pairings, I've seen a lot of angst. Which is great, but I wanted to show another side of Yamamoto. Though, he acts oblivious, Yamamoto is very aware of the situations he is in. I hoped I explored that here, even a little bit. Next chapter will be Dino's date with Tsuna and chapter Nineteen will be the Maid Café. Lastly, Chapter Twenty will be special, but instead of telling you, I'll have Mukuro, Tsuna and Byakuran act it out for you.

Omake- Rated M for Mukuro

Byakuran: Nappo-chan, what did you mean earlier about not holding back on your date with Tsu-chan?

Mukuro: Exactly, what I said. I have no intentions on holding back. **Grins** Am I making you nervous?

Byakuran: **shrugs** Not at all

Mukuro: **raises an eyebrow** Am I making you jealous?

Byakuran: Jealous of what, Nappo-chan? You haven't kissed Tsu-chan, since chapter six.

Mukuro: And you had to wait 'til Chapter Fourteen.

Byakuran: ….I saw Tsu-chan naked though.

Mukuro: **Smiles** that maybe so…but for my sacrifice I will be greatly rewarded.

Byakuran: Rewarded?

Mukuro: I made a deal.

Byakuran: Oh? And what kind of deal did you make, Nappo-chan?

Mukuro: Well, if you really want to know. Chapter Twenty will be special for two reasons. The first, I'll finally get my character chapter. Secondly, this Fanfiction will officially be rated Mature. Meaning I get to do explicit things to Tsunayoshi-kun.

Byakuran: But you know, Nappo-chan that also applies to everyone else as well.

Mukuro: I know. Let the games begin then.

Tsuna: Don't I get a say in this?

Mukuro: Nope

Byakuran: Tsu-chan, when do you ever get a say over the conquest of your bod- affections?

Tsuna: **sighs tiredly** just be gentle with me

Mukuro: Kufufu. Not my style.

Byakuran: That isn't very fun.

Omake End

Author, again: Thank you for reading chapter seventeen of Hungry for Tsuna and don't forget to review, it gives me power. Also Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all.


	18. Dino the Adventurous

Hungry for Tsuna

A Katekyo Hitman Reborn Fanfiction

Disclaimer: I do not own Reborn, nor do I claim I do.

Note: NOT BETA READ YET!

Chapter Eighteen: Dino the Adventurous

Slowly the students began filling into the lecture building, but it was still much too early for classes to begin. So during this time, the hallways became like a morning hang out area to chat or to copy off someone else's homework. Like almost every morning, Dino was earlier for class and he spent most of his time in the halls talking among his other classmates. Today, he was talking to good friend of his. The sometimes irritable and always loud, Superbia Squalo.

"How's that fearless leader of yours doing?" Dino looked to Squalo, who seemed disgruntled, but that was a usual for Squalo.

"He's grumpy." Grumbled Squalo as he leaned on the wall, staring up at the ceiling and his arms crossed across his stomach. Dino was quick to notice that the swordsman was only giving him his side profile. The long haired teen was obviously hiding something from him.

"Yea, I could see from the huge bump you have on your head that he was very cranky." Dino teased.

"VOOOOIIIIIII!" Squalo turned to Dino, presenting the large swelling perturbing from his scalp which had been created from a collision of his head and the vice president's morning coffee mug. That was last time Squalo was going to wake that fucker up. "AT LEAST, I GET MY INJURIES FROM A FUCKING LUNATIC. YOURS ARE SELF-INFLICTED!"

Dino laughed, revealing his bandaged left wrist and colored Band-Aids on his fingers. "I didn't do it on purpose."

The long haired swordsman jeered. "WHAT WAS IT THIS TIME? THE STAIRS, THE DOOR, THE FUCKING TEXTBOOK, A SHITTY PENCIL…"

"Actually, it was the bathroom sink." The blonde smiled sheepishly. "And the paper cuts are from yesterday's English homework."

"IT'S STILL FUCKING LAME." Squalo frowned. Dino was the clumsiest person he had ever met. It was funny at first watching the blonde trip over his own feet and fall down stairs, but now, it was getting really sad. Aren't you supposed to outgrow some things when you get older?

"I don't need you to tell me that." Dino said sharply, but otherwise he wasn't bothered by the Squalo's teasing. He was used to it by now. They had gone to the same school since as long as he could remember. From an outsider, it may seem like they hated each other's guts, but it was the exact opposite. They got along well. Never did any of their banter ever exploded into heated fights with whips or swords. They had a pretty good understanding of each other.

Dino looked out the window. It was still very early in the day. No one was really moving about, but he did notice something going on by the Library building. Over the past few weeks, the building had undergone a lot of renovations to fix it, due to someone trashing it in the beginning of the semester. Now, the library looked as if nobody had trashed it. The only life outside seemed to be by the library. Dino observed people going in and out; bringing in large and small boxes inside the structure. Dino looked to Squalo. "What are they doing over there?"

"HELL IF I KNOW…" The swordsman replied, his icy blue eyes shifting to the window.

The blonde raised an eyebrow. "Aren't you on the student council?"

"YEA…" replied the other.

"Then you should know." Dino pressed.

Squalo shrugged his shoulders and answered slowly. "PROBABLY THE SHITTY MAID CAFE."

"Ah, the café…" Dino nodded in recognition. He remembered someone telling him the Maid café would be hosted in the library. The building was now fixed and spacious enough to hold a large capacity of people. While they were on the topic, Dino decided to see how much more information he could get out his friend. "Do you know what the prize is?"

The long haired swordsman shook his head, making his long hair sway left to right. "THE ONLY ONE WHO KNOWS IS BYAKURAN."

"I see." The blonde sighed, slightly disappointed. Dino then said softly, "He'll probably announce it the day of."

"DON'T TELL ME YOU'RE SUPPORTING THAT SHIT?!"Squalo said surprised, frowning at the guy he **used** to respect.

"Of course. I have to cheer on our mascot." Dino commented. The blonde gave his shoulders a light shrug and presented the swordsman a sly grin. "Plus I want to see Tsuna in costume…"

Squalo sighed heavily, shaking his head lowly. "NOT YOU, TOO…"

"What do you mean, 'not you, too'?" Dino raised an eyebrow, looking at his long haired companion squarely. "Don't act like you haven't been ogling Tsuna as well."

"THIS ISN'T ABOUT ME. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT YOU!" Squalo roared, pointing a reproachful finger at the blonde.

"No, you were talking about me and I countered by stating your own denial of your infatuation with Tsuna." Dino responded with his arms crossed over his stomach.

"I'M NOT IN DENIAL, BECAUSE I'M NOT FUCKING GAY!" The white haired student roared. Making heads turn in their direction, Squalo glared at the nosy bastards and everyone turned back to their own business.

"Neither am I, but I'm not going to lie about who I have a crush on." Dino said calmly. He then leaned into the long haired student, running his fingers through strands of Squalo's silver hair. "You may not be willing to admit how you feel about Tsuna, but you should really come out of the closet. Your hair is a dead giveaway that you've been getting beauty tips from Lussuria."

There was a pause from Squalo, then the long haired teen spat. "FUCK YOU, DINO!"

Dino just laughed as he watched Squalo stormed off. The swordsman was definitely in denial, but the upperclassmen wondered why the long haired teen was so obstinate about not admitting his crush on Tsuna. The blonde figured it was because of Xanxus. Dino knew Squalo wasn't afraid of the vice president, but perhaps the swordsman respected the tyrant more than he gave credit for. Squalo may not want to be in Xanxus's way and could only be acting like he has no interest in Tsuna. If that was truly the case, then Xanxus and Squalo had a strange way of showing their camaraderie.

On another note, Dino wasn't able to figure out the prize for the maid café. He was asked by the principal to figure out what it was, but of course no one knew what it was or even had a hint of what would be offered. The student president lips were sealed until the day of the maid café, which was unfortunate for the blonde. Dino sighed; the principal wouldn't like hearing that he couldn't find out the prize. The blonde cringed imagining the sadistic man pointing a gun to his temple, the trigger being squeezed, then –BANG! Dino quickly ignored the image and tried to look on the bright side. "Well, at least I have something to look forward to."

After all he couldn't be too distraught; he had a date with Tsuna today. He had been looking forward to it all week and it seemed that the weekdays were inching by very slowly. Yet, the slow week did warrant him time to prepare for today. He just wondered if his efforts would be worth it in the end and that the brunette would like what he had planned.

----------------

Tsuna sighed, he was well aware that he was going on a date with Dino today. He was even more aware that Dino was way cooler than anyone he has ever known. He also did not forget that the upperclassman was very charming and handsome. Unfortunately, that meant Gokudera didn't forget either. Gokudera stayed close to him as if being near him would scare Dino away. It reminded Tsuna of how a cat would fluff its fur up to seem more threatening. The image made Tsuna smile a little, but the whole situation wasn't funny.

Yamamoto was also hovering close. Tsuna would have thought the other was going along with the ride, but now that he knew the baseball fanatic better. He knew that Yamamoto was also a bit worried, not as troubled as Gokudera (then again who was?) but, concerned nonetheless.

"Tenth, are you sure you want to do this?" Gokudera asked.

"Gokudera, I have to give everyone a chance." Tsuna sighed, this was his sixth time saying it, but for some reason it wasn't getting through to the bomber. Perhaps, the sixth time was the charm.

"It's only fair." Yamamoto chimed in.

"Why are you so nervous about this? You weren't this nervous about Yamamoto." Tsuna questioned, wondering what the difference between Yamamoto and Dino was.

"Because, Dino reminds me of those fakers from host clubs. Their charmers and they know how to use the right words to get what they want." Gokudera accused. He knew Dino's type. He saw it all the time in Italy, a charming man was sometimes a snake. Even his mother was a victim of his father's womanizing ways and he thought Tsuna was being lured in by Dino's ostensibly "good" charms.

"Dino isn't like that." Tsuna frowned at Gokudera. He was thinking too much about this. There was no evidence that Dino was not who he presented himself to be. However, Tsuna tried to understand Gokudera. The bomber was concerned about Dino, not as a potential threat to the brunette, but perhaps a threat to his own standing with Tsuna. "Thank you for worrying about me, but I think Dino is the least of your worries."

"Tsuna's got a point. I'm sure Tsuna is going out with more intimidating people." Yamamoto smirked, his trademark grin wider than usual. It was obvious Yamamoto was trying not to laugh.

Tsuna turned to Yamamoto. "So, you know about Xanxus?"

Yamamoto nodded, a pleasant smile still present.

"And you're okay with it?" Tsuna pressed. It was Yamamoto who informed him about the unsaid cooperation that everyone was undertaking. So, the freshman was a bit curious about what Yamamoto thought about him going out with Xanxus. From the brunette's knowledge, Yamamoto had never seen Xanxus, but Tsuna was sure Gokudera told him a few things and Dino also informed the baseball fanatic about the vice president.

"No." The baseball player said truthfully with a shrug. "But fair is fair."

Tsuna smiled softly, the both of them were being very nice about this. Too nice, maybe. But he wasn't going to reconsider. He had made a promise and nothing was going to make him break it. He assured them. "I'll be fine."

Gokudera opened his mouth to say something, but before the silver haired teen could utter it, Yamamoto placed an arm around the bomber's shoulders. Distracted, Gokudera began cursing at Yamamoto for being so close to him. "Get your fucking-"

The baseball fanatic then interjected. "We know you'll be fine. Tell us about it when you get back. 'Kay? "

Tsuna realized what Yamamoto was doing. The athlete was trying to hinder Gokudera for him. Tsuna didn't skip a beat as he started to walk off. "I will." Tsuna said, picking up the pace. "See you guys later."

The silver haired bomber reluctantly let the brunette go, seeing as the mascot was already out of his reach. "Later, Tenth."

"Bye." Yamamoto waved to Tsuna's back and watched as their petite companion disappeared down the corridor.

"What the hell are you doing?" Gokudera barked at the taller boy, releasing himself from the other's grip. "Don't tell me you're helping Dino?"

"No, I'm not helping Dino." Yamamoto said with a soft laugh.

"Then…" Pushed Gokudera. "Why did you let the tenth go?"

The baseball fanatic looked to Gokudera, a smile still gripped his lips, but his dark brown eyes were serious. He responded. "Because that is what Tsuna wanted to do."

Gokudera was silenced. He realized he was being very selfish and hadn't been totally honest with Tsuna either. Gokudera was always worried about Tsuna's welfare, when he wasn't there to protect him, but what bothered the bomber about this whole dating thing, was potentially losing Tsuna to someone else. Gokudera knew Dino was a good guy and the upperclassman would never hurt Tsuna, but his own insecurities dissolved any trust he had in any person when it came to the brunette. It was selfish of him to try to persuade Tsuna not to go on a date with Dino and he was very ashamed of himself. Gokudera made a note to himself to apologize to Tsuna, properly.

The bomber looked to Yamamoto, who was beaming at him doing his revelation. His emerald eyes glared at the baseball freak. "What are you looking at, you dumb jock?"

"I think you grew up a little." The baseball athlete joked.

In response, the bomber gave Yamamoto a one finger salute. The taller boy was unfazed by Gokudera's gesture and just laughed. Boy, did he hate that baseball nut! Did he take anything seriously?!

"See you at Tsuna's room later." Yamamoto said before he turned and went his own separate way.

"Bastard." Gokudera cursed as he plunged his hands into his pockets and stomped off. Yamamoto irritated him. Not, because he was an idiot, very carefree and smiled too damn much, but because he was more considerate of Tsuna than he was. "Damn him."

----------

Tsuna changed out of his school uniform and placed on normal clothes. He wasn't sure what to expect from a date with Dino. On his other dates, Yamamoto and Gokudera managed to surprise him and he was expecting to be just as astonished with Dino's plans. The brunette exited the Sky dormitory, where he was supposed to meet with Dino. Right away, he saw the blonde waiting for him. "Dino-san." Tsuna greeted with a smile.

The upperclassman looked over to other. "Tsuna…shall we go?"

Tsuna nodded and followed the blonde as he led the way toward the other side of campus. The brunette still couldn't believe that he was on a date with Dino. He really admired the upperclassman and wondered what else he could learn about the blonde. Tsuna was so caught up in his musings; he didn't notice the impending danger in his wake. Suddenly, Dino stepped into his way. "Tsuna! Wait!"

The brunette quickly paused. Tsuna looked down at his feet and realized he was nearly a millimeter away from falling into the large crater. "Where did this come from?!"

"I fell into this thing just a while ago." Dino admitted with a slight smirk. Tsuna curiously looked up to Dino. "Yesterday, did you hear those loud noises?"

Tsuna nodded, he recalled escaping the disciplinary committee with Yamamoto when it occurred. The brunette surveyed the area and notice there was a couple more of ditches.

"I heard that something dug these holes to trap some of the committee members and lured them in by making these loud crashes. It was a huge uproar. I heard Hibari was furious. Not only was the school lawn ruined, but his committee was made a mockery of." Dino explained.

"I wonder who could have done that." Tsuna said slowly, but the brunette knew who did it, it was Mukuro. Tsuna didn't know the illusionist had this planned, if he knew he wouldn't have considered that demon's offer at all. The brunette just wanted to go out with Yamamoto, not humiliate Hibari. He would have to make it up to the prefect somehow.

"Be careful." The blonde warned as they walked around the hole. The brunette looked warily at the crater, frowning at all the damage that a large hole could produce. Their destination was behind gym, which was on the farthest side of the school and closer the wooded area that surrounded their campus like a fortress.

"Usually, I would take my car, but I decided to do something different." Dino said to Tsuna as they headed around the corner.

Tsuna blinked, taking that bit of information in. The freshman slowly looked to the blonde. "You have a car? You can drive?"

"Yea, a red Ferrari." The upperclassmen boasted

"Really?" Tsuna questioned, surprised. Wasn't it illegal for Dino to drive? He wasn't eighteen!

"Would you like to go for a ride sometime?" Dino offered.

"Um…" Tsuna hesitated to answer. Not only was he suspicious about it being illegal for Dino to drive a car, he was worried about the upperclassman's clumsiness. The brunette couldn't help but think about a possible collision in his future, if he did ride with the blonde. He wasn't sure if he trusted Dino enough, at least with his life.

"Dino-sama." Someone called to them. Saving Tsuna from answering Dino.

"Romario." Greeted Dino, walking up to an older man that Tsuna had never seen before. The man was a little taller than Dino with dark hair and eyes. The mysterious person was donned in mostly black as well, wearing a dark suit, black tie and white dress shirt. The older man looked closer to thirty or even older.

The blonde upperclassmen turned to the brunette, feeling the smaller boy's apprehension. He explained the identity of the man in black. "He's my butler."

"Nice to meet you, I'm Sawada Tsunayoshi." Tsuna greeted Dino's butler. He smiled, but his demeanor was still sheepish. The brunette was always surrounded by people at school; he was truly a shy person at heart.

Romario shook his head. "No need for introductions, Sawada-san. I heard a lot about you from, Dino-sama."

Tsuna blushed at this declaration wondering what Dino had said about him. When he looked to Dino, the blonde had slipped from his normal calm, cool, suave countenance to one that was disconcerted.

"Geez, Romario, you talk too much." Dino said flustered, but he was quick to compose himself. "Did you manage to bring him?" He asked looking at the other expectantly.

"Yes, Dino-sama. Like you requested…" Romario nodded as he lead Dino and Tsuna further around the back. Revealing a white horse with fair hair just meters away. "Romeo is here."

The blonde turned to the petite brunette. "So what do you think of my horse, Tsuna?"

"He's amazing." Tsuna said. It was the first time Tsuna saw a horse up close. And it was even rarer was to see an all white horse.

"Alright, Tsuna. We should start heading out." Dino said as he checked the dark saddle and the reigns.

"We're riding on Romeo?" Tsuna frowned.

"Yep."Dino answered as he climbed on to the saddle and held on to the reigns loosely.

Tsuna had become quiet, unsure if he wanted to take that chance with Dino. After all, he had seen the upperclassman fall down a flight of stairs. Did he really want to risk a horse ride with the clumsy upperclassman? Dino kept quiet waiting for Tsuna's answer, but he already knew the brunette was scared to ride with him. Perhaps, that was why he didn't answer him when he offered him a ride in his Ferrari. People only turned down a ride from Dino, because they knew him really well. Romario felt and knew the brunette's unease. Many were apprehensive of Dino's riding skills, but it was hard not to be a bit nervous, because the blonde wasn't poise even on a good day.

Romario informed Tsuna. "Don't worry, Sawada-san. Dino-sama is very good with Romeo; he never slipped once with that horse. He's had him since he was a boy."

"Come on, Tsuna. I wouldn't let anything happen to you." Dino added, trying to persuade the mascot.

After the brunette contemplated the risk he was taking, Tsuna grabbed onto Dino's hand and climbing abroad the white stallion. It was weird to the brunette to be so high up from the ground and even more uncomfortable to be sitting behind Dino. Tsuna looked back to Romario for reassurance. The older man only smiled back at the freshman, but the gesture hadn't comforted Tsuna at all.

"Hold on to my waist." Dino requested. Tsuna timidly slid his arms around the upperclassman's waist. He was embarrassed to be so close to Dino, if he held on to the older boy any tighter, he would be pressed against upperclassman's body. Still, at the distance that Tsuna now held, he could still feel Dino's body underneath his touch. It was still quite intimate, no matter how he tried to overlook it; Tsuna was deep within Dino's personal space.

The blonde tried his best to ignore the small limbs that now encircled his waist. It was the simplest of caresses but it was still the fact of being touched by Tsuna that was making the task of ignoring it, difficult. Nonetheless Dino forced his lewd thoughts away and concentrated in controlling his horse. Dino lifted the reigns up, slightly tugging at them. The blonde carefully steered Romeo away from the school. He then ordered. "Let's go, Romeo."

Romeo burst into a gallop, which made Tsuna cling on to Dino more. He didn't care so much about how close he was to the upperclassman, now his fear was falling off the horse. Tsuna watched as they raced off into another section of the wooded area around the school. Tsuna noticed that they were going to the opposite direction of the front gates that lead to the town of Namimori. The brunette had never been this way before, but it was obviously the path they took was in use.

"Where does this road lead?" Tsuna asked, speaking louder than usual, unsure if Dino would be able to hear him over the pounding of Romeo's hooves on the ground.

"For a good fifteen miles, there's nothing but forest. But, this road leads to a ryokan [1] and another school."

"Another school?" Tsuna questioned.

"Didn't you know there was an all girls'school nearby?" Dino asked.

"I've heard of it." Tsuna recalled. Shamal had invited him there under the assumption that the mascot was a girl disguised as a boy, and a few of the girls from that school were also going to be maids for the maid café. Tsuna believed it was called Saxifrage Academia or something like that. "But I didn't know it was so close."

Dino stated. "It's pretty close, but I would advise you not to go there."

"Why?" Tsuna asked curiously. As always Dino was very knowledgeable, so whenever the blonde warned him about something, he made sure to listen closely.

"Because no boys are allowed. Sometimes there are exceptions, but most of the guys avoid that place. I heard too many stories about the brave souls journeying there to talk to some of the girls and they all return, limping."

_Sounds scary…_ Tsuna thought to himself. Although, he would never venture there to do that, it was good to know for future reference.

"When they say 'no boys allowed', they mean 'no boys allowed'" Dino considered. Tsuna could see that was obviously true, but he guessed the school's headmaster had a good reason for that decision. And perhaps there was a reason why the boys from their school were warded off from that place.

"So where are going?" Tsuna questioned. Dino said himself that there was nothing but woods, and the road only led to a ryokan and the all girls' school, which he listed as off limits. What could the blonde have plan for him?

"It's a surprise." The upperclassman said vaguely as they continued deeper into the forest. Coming off the road, they ventured off into uncharted territory

****

Tsuna looked up the path ahead of him and gulped. The brunette came to terms with a small mountain and drew the conclusions that they were walking up it. "We're hiking?" Tsuna asked.

Dino was tying Romeo to a nearby tree. Dino was making use of the brunette's inattentiveness to hide his whip. He had carried it along just in case they had a run-in with an animal. Dino was sure they were both safe, but he couldn't guarantee the likelihood of not crossing paths with a ferocious beast. He didn't hide his whip, because he was afraid Tsuna would disapprove or fear him, but he wanted the brunette to have fun and not worry about the fauna that lurked in the shadows. That was his problem. He slipped his weapon into his carrying bag and looked over to the unenthusiastic brunette, smirking. "I hope you have your energy."

"Dino-san, I'm not good at these types of things." Tsuna said, looking to the blonde. Didn't he tell the other he was afraid of heights? Also, that he was afraid of rocks? And more importantly, afraid of falling down into rocks?!

The upperclassman assured. "Well, this is like a small hill. If this was Mount Fuji, I'm sure it would be difficult for you."

"You climbed Mount Fuji?!" The brunette asked.

The blonde nodded. "One summer."

"And you didn't fall off?" Tsuna questioned with an eyebrow raised.

"Well, I had Romario with me." Dino informed with a soft chuckle. "Whenever he's around, I'm not klutzy. So I was able to reach the top within a day."

"That's incredible, Dino-san." Tsuna smiled, impressed.

"I guess so, but we should start going, it'll be hard getting back down in the dark." The blonde said as he took a bag attached to Romeo's saddle and walked over to Tsuna.

"Okay. If you could climb a mountain, I guess I could handle this." Tsuna said bravely. He was still feeling a bit anxious, but he felt that if Dino could achieve something so hard, then he could at least give it a try.

"Don't push yourself." The blonde warned and then pointed to the bag, he was bringing along. "I brought snacks, for when we take a break."

Dino left out that he also brought a first aid kit and a satellite phone, just in case someone got hurt. It always helped to be prepared, especially in his case.

"Will Romeo be fine on his own?" Tsuna looked to the white horse tied to the tree. It seemed as if Romeo was a huge dog instead of a horse.

"Yea, the woods back home have much more dangers and Romeo is able to fend for himself." The blonde assured Tsuna, he then Dino to his horse. "Right?"

The white horse neighed in agreement.

"See? He said so himself." Dino smirked and headed to the base of the mini mountain. "It's not very steep; it just gradually inclines as we get higher."

Tsuna agreed with Dino just by looking. It seemed pretty doable, but Tsuna wasn't sure he had the endurance to reach the top. He rarely did anything strenuous. Compared to an avid climber like Dino, Tsuna wasn't sure he had it in him.

"Let's go." The blonde beckoned the brunette with his charming smile and Tsuna found himself having difficulty in saying no.

*****

They had walked for a solid hour and a half, but Tsuna had felt the fatigue creeping up on him an hour before. The hiking wasn't hard at all and they had already reached half way up, but the brunette's body was starting to tire out. Dino noticed too, especially when Tsuna lost his footing and began falling back. The blonde stepped forward and caught the smaller boy.

"Sorry." Tsuna panted, sweating beaded on his brow.

The blonde Italian smiled gently, helping Tsuna stand upright. "Let's take a break."

_Thank Kami-sama! I thought I was going to die!_ Tsuna thought to himself as he flopped down on the ground. His legs ached, his arms felt like they were going to pop off.

Dino laughed as he watched the mascot grabbed on to the nearest seat as if they were playing musical chairs. He assumed Tsuna didn't get much exercise, but he didn't know it was this bad. The school mascot was out of shape. "What have you been doing, Tsuna? Reading comic books and playing video games back at home?"

"Um…" Tsuna blushed, feeling embarrassed that he was a very inactive kid. He then changed the subject. "What did you bring for snack?"

Dino looked down at his satchel and pulled out a few bottles of water, sandwiches, and apples. "Romario prepared them, so they should be good."

The brunette took a sandwich from Dino and tasted it. It was pretty good; he never had a sandwich like this before. The only downside was that it was very spicy, thankfully, Romario packed enough water.

Dino smiled apologetically as Tsuna gulped down a bottle of water. "Sorry, Romario was going by my tastes. I like spicy food."

"Then you and Sasagawa-san should get along fine." Tsuna beamed as he cautiously took a bite of his sandwich. "Once, he made me a bento and it felt like my mouth was on fire. Compared to Sasagawa's lunch, this is nothing."

"I see, I've got to try some." The blonde wondered curiously.

Tsuna nodded and looked down to where they started. It seemed so far away, but they still had a while to go before they reach the top. Even though, Tsuna was about to collapse getting to this point, he felt proud that he managed to survive. The mascot finished his sandwich and went on to the much cooler and sweeter apples that Romario packed. Tsuna then asked, curiously. "What's at the top?"

Dino only smiled. "It's a surprise."

Tsuna was disappointed that Dino decided to be secretive of their destination, but he respected the other's wishes. The brunette would let Dino surprise him, he just hope he didn't have to climb a mountain or something else that was arduous. After finishing his own food, Dino stood up. "Alright, let's go."

"Already?" Tsuna whined.

"Yep." Dino said unsympathetically, causing the brunette to frown at him. Tsuna got up from his very comfortable seat and started going up, again.

The blonde watched as the brunette started up the peak once more. Dino hung back a little when he noticed animal tracks on the floor. He took a closer look and recognized them as bear tracks. He knew there were bears in the forest, but he didn't know they came up this way.

"Dino-san?" Tsuna called the blonde from his point. Dino stood up and began walking up. "Is something wrong?"

"Nothing. I just dropped something." Dino lied, not wanting Tsuna to know there was a bear walking around here.

After a while, the top became more and more clear. Tsuna was getting more and more excited about reaching the top, the closer he came. Dino also noticed that the brunette was more motivated than when they first began.

"Dino-san, I could see the top." Tsuna pointed out to Dino.

The blonde only smiled back at the brunette, Tsuna reminded him of a child who finally learned how to tie his shoes by himself. It was cute.

"I'm going to go ahead." The brunette announced with enthusiasm, walking at a faster pace.

Dino didn't stop the smaller boy; he was too preoccupied looking for any signs of the bear. He then turned back to Tsuna and noticed something dark ahead of the brunette. At first, it seemed like a large boulder, or even a small tree, but none of those things moved. It was then that the upperclassmen realized the four legs, rounded ears and snout.

"Tsuna! Look out!" Dino warned Tsuna, but it was already too late. The dark thing he had seen seconds before turned out be an adult bear. The bear didn't look at all pleased to see Tsuna approaching him.

The mascot stopped in his tracks as soon as he saw the bear. Tsuna froze up, seeing the bear's sharp teeth and the beast rising on its hind legs. The brunette panicked, turning to run, but ended up tripping over his own feet and falling on to the ground. Why, of all times, did he have be clumsy now?!

The bear was already advancing on Tsuna and the blonde doubted the brunette would be able to defend himself. Dino retrieved his whip from his bag. Usually, when Dino used his whip he was clumsy, hitting himself instead of the intended target. Yet, Dino could pull anything off when someone was in danger. At first, he thought his curse was warded off only when Romario, his butler was around, but after that time where he saved Tsuna from Hibari, he realized that Tsuna could also lessen his clumsiness to an extent. If Tsuna was in danger, his mind completely forgot he was supposed to be a maladroit; rather he became pretty adept with his whip. With one swing of the whip, the leathered cord managed to snake around the back side of a nearby tree and wrapping itself around the aggressive beast's neck. The bear roared in shock and agony, but Dino didn't relent. He pulled on the handle of his whip, tightening the hold he had on the bear.

"Dino…." Tsuna warned as he watched the upperclassman strangled the wild animal.

"I know. I'm not hurting him. I'm letting him know not to mess with you." Dino said. After he felt the bear understood his place, he released him from his hold and the cord around the bear's neck went slack, sliding down to the ground. As soon as he was released, the bear ran off, racing down the peak. "I didn't want to hurt him, but that was the only way he would understand."

Tsuna didn't agree with how Dino treated that bear, but he was grateful that the upperclassman didn't kill the animal. At least, the bear had its life albeit leaving with a broken pride, the bear would recover. The brunette got up from the place he fell and softly said. "Okay."

Dino ran a hand through his golden blonde hair gazing at Tsuna. He knew just by looking that Tsuna didn't like what happened, but the blonde could live with that. What he couldn't live with was Tsuna being hurt by the bear or even worse, especially if he could do something about it. He wordlessly turned away and began rolling up the cord of his whip.

"But thank you for saving me, Dino-san." Tsuna said as he toyed with the rim of his shirt.

"I wasn't going to stand around and allow that bear to hurt you." Dino said his eyes concentrating on wrapping his whip up. He then looked up and turned to Tsuna. "I promised you, I wouldn't let anything happen to you."

Tsuna met Dino's eyes. Dino's eyes looked at him so intensely, that it made him blush and shiver. The brunette averted his eyes unable to take it. "Where did you learn to do that?"

The blonde grinned, noticing the brunette's failure to keep eye contact and he humored Tsuna, pretending that the other didn't change the subject. "I traveled a lot and mostly to very exotic places. I would usually have to walk or even ride animals to destinations I needed to go. And along the way, I would run into ferocious animals in my path. I had to learn to not run away, but instead assert myself."

Dino joked. "Talk about confidence boosters."

"I never pictured you doing anything like that. You don't seem that daring." Tsuna commented, imagining Dino fighting tigers and riding camels and elephants.

"A lot of people can't get past the boy next door image I have." Dino beamed, but there was a lot of truth in what he said. Tsuna thought of him as very wholesome, but today he saw the audacious, confident and even deadly side of Dino. He wasn't sure if he liked this side of Dino, but he knew he didn't feel differently about the other. Somehow Dino was even cooler and even more striking than before. There was something more than the clumsy, knowledgeable Dino he had grown accustomed to.

"Do you want to continue?" Dino asked, wondering if Tsuna wanted to go on. The blonde would understand if the brunette didn't, after all he was almost attacked by a bear.

The freshman's eyes narrowed slightly, looking very determined. "Of course. I got this far and I really want to see your surprise."

The blonde smiled fondly at the petite boy. Tsuna was really something else. "Okay, let's reach the top together."

****

"A shrine?" Tsuna commented as he eyed the large red torii in front of them. The mascot knew from common knowledge that the torii signified the entrance of a Shinto shrine. The brunette's brown orbs looked to very large building in the distance. He was so used to small shrines where he lived that he was taken aback by the size of this one. Was this what Dino's surprise was?

"Yep, but it's not any old' shrine. It has a special secret." The blonde explained with a smirk. "The priest that owns this shrine is also the caretaker of a hot spring."

"A hot spring?" The brunette said with disbelief. He'd never been to a hot spring. It was usually very expensive to go to a resort and he was never the adventurous type, to go into the outdoors to find a natural one. So, Tsuna never had the privilege of experiencing a hot spring.

"Yea, not a lot of people know about it." Dino commented as he ushered Tsuna forward. "Let's go for a swim?"

Tsuna frowned. "I can't swim."

"The hot spring isn't that deep." Dino places a hand a few inches from his torso. "It's like up to here."

"Okay." Tsuna agreed, smiling from ear to ear. The brunette couldn't hide his excitement; he always wanted to go to a hot spring. Now he finally got the chance. Tsuna never thought he would be this lucky. That was until he realized something….

It dawned upon Tsuna in the changing room, that he would be **naked**. Tsuna wasn't comfortable about being nude in front of Dino, but he also didn't want to walk into the hot spring, fully clothed, he wouldn't be able to enjoy the experience. Not only would it be uncomfortable, but he was also asking to get sick, after all what would he wear when they were done?! In the end, Tsuna complied and began taking off his clothes. They were only going for a swim, nothing else. Tsuna figured if he could shower and bathe in a bathroom with a group of complete strangers than this should be a cakewalk.

With resolve the brunette stepped out of the changing room with only a towel around his waist. The hot spring was an outdoors one with boulders and soft rocks to make the bath even more comfortable. The brunette could tell the water was hot from the steam wafting in the air. The brunette was ready to jump into the bath, when his eyes met Dino. The blonde upperclassman was already in the bath, soaking in the hot water. Tsuna's eyes took in Dino's bare upper body. The freshman's brown eyes noticed the intricate tattoo on Dino's right arm. The power and strength that lied under the skin of his back. Tsuna's eyes curiously wandered lower and he blushed tomato red, when he realized he was staring at Dino's butt. He swiftly turned around, feeling ashamed for peeking at Dino. Sure, he showered with guys all the time in the public bathrooms, but he never kissed any of them. He never saw them as attractive or cool. They didn't have smiles that could make him melt. This was totally different than any public bathhouse; he was alone with Dino, in the middle of nowhere…half-naked! Well, Dino was butt-naked.

_Now I can't get it out of my head_. Tsuna grimaced, amazed at how lewd he was starting to think just by getting a glimpse of Dino.

Dino glanced over toward Tsuna's way, noticing the redness of the other's ears. He smirked figuring that the brunette had turned to look at him.

"Come on, Tsuna." Dino called to the brunette, making Tsuna flinch. "The water's great."

Tsuna turned back to the hot spring. It did look fun and he was sure Dino would keep his hands to himself. Dino wouldn't do anything that he didn't allow. The brunette discarded his towel and timidly walked to the edge, where the spring met the land. Tsuna entered the water before he was struck with a surge of self-consciousness or another wave of indecisiveness. The temperature of the water was hot, but he was accustomed to hot baths. Tsuna found he was able to sit up in the water, the waves crashing against his collarbone.

After walking that long way, the water felt even better. His muscles were so relaxed and he felt very at peace in the water. It just made climbing that peak, even more worthwhile. He was glad he finally entered the bath. "Are you having fun, Tsuna?"

"Yes." The brunette turned to Dino and asked. "Why did you choose here, though?"

"Well to be honest, I had something else planned," The Blonde admitted, "but then I heard from Yamamoto, that his and Gokudera's date was crashed. So I thought I'll pick a place more secluded."

"I see." The brunette smiled. It was true no one would ever think to find them way up here. It was a smart move on Dino's part. "How did you find this place?"

"Well…" Dino started getting embarrassed. "I got lost in these woods and I found this place by accident."

"You got lost?!" Tsuna exclaimed incredulously, but the mascot then checked himself. _That would be something Dino-san would do._ He thought to himself.

"Yep, I have a bad sense of direction." Dino chortled.

The brunette then looked down at Dino's tattoo. He didn't think it took the blonde's whole arm. Whenever Tsuna saw Dino's tattoo, he could only see the end of it on his hand. It was a very interesting art, blue flames, a horse that looked a lot like Romeo and even a thorn vines. "Interested in my tattoo, Tsuna?" The blonde grinned.

"Sorry for staring, but this is the first time I get to see the whole thing." Tsuna remarked feeling a bit tactless. It was very usual to see people with tattoos and it had been conditioned for him to believe that only bad people like the Yakuza donned them. The brunette knew that Dino was not part of the Yakuza, but he was still curious as to why the blonde had a tattoo and what it represented. Ignorantly he asked. "Are you a part of a gang?"

"No."The blonde laughed. "I got this tattoo to represent the people who are important to me."

"Oh." Tsuna smiled, now he had a better idea of why people would get tattoos. Not because they belonged to the Yakuza, but because it represents something they care about. "Did it hurt?"

The Italian shook his head. "Well, I think I have a very high pain tolerance. So it wasn't that bad for me."

_That means it probably hurts a lot._ The brunette thought as he grimaced.

"Thinking of getting one, Tsuna?" The Italian teased with a grin.

"No, I'm not cool enough." The brunette replied, stretching his limbs.

Dino didn't know if it was the hot temperature of the water, or the fact that he was alone with Tsuna, but he felt the need to touch. Dino found his eyes wandering over to this petite schoolmate's body. Dino could see almost everything, the lines that formed Tsuna's body, the slight pinkish tint his skin took and even the slight shine the water gave the brunette's abdomen. It was driving him crazy, making his mouth dry and sending his hormones through loops. If he sat there any longer, he was going to listen to that wicked voice in his head. The blonde stood up abruptly, causing himself to slip on the rocks that layered the bottom of the spring. Dino went down into the water.

"Dino-san!" Tsuna cried as he saw the upperclassman fall into the water. The brunette waded through the water and watched as Dino re-surfaced, coughing. "Dino, are you okay?"

Dino stared up at Tsuna, his last strand of resistance gone. There were few people in Dino's life that he could be very comfortable with. Most people ridiculed for his clumsiness and he got pretty used to covering up his shortcomings. But with Tsuna, he didn't feel as if he had to. It was as if the other overlooked that part of him and actually looked within. Every time, the brunette looked at him it was only admiration he saw and it made Dino feel laudable. Dino just wanted to return the benevolence that Tsuna readily conferred.

His hands rose up from the steamy water and gently gripped the back of Tsuna's neck, bringing the smaller boy's face closer for a kiss. Tsuna thought that the blonde's hand felt great against his neck and Dino's honey brown eyes made him quiver, hypnotizing him to move a bit closer. Kissing Dino was very appealing, but the brunette felt ashamed for ever thinking of doing such a thing at a shrine. Tsuna began to reason with the bronco. "Dino-san…the shrine…the priest!"

"Shh…" Dino hushed the mascot, his hot breath gracing Tsuna's mouth. That was all the incentive Tsuna needed; the freshman closed the tiny distance between Dino and himself, pressing his timid pink lips to the upperclassman's. Immediately, Tsuna tasted the other's warmth, a shock to the teen's body that made his knees weak and his toes curl. Dino hungered for more, applying more pressure to the brunette's mouth. Tsuna yielded to the Italian, savoring the touch of euphoria that occurred when their tongues contacted. His whole body was shaking, anticipating the sensations that the blonde would give him.

"Did you boys call?" Another questioned.

Tsuna flew away from Dino faster than a cheetah could run; Dino looked up from his spot and noticed the elderly man at the entrance of the bath. He smiled coolly at the holy man. "No, we're fine."

The brunette peered at the old man and the priest caught the mascot's gaze, winking at the petite boy. Tsuna blushed, realizing that the elder man knew what they were doing and out of mortification, the mascot sunk deeper into the hot spring water. Tsuna was never going to live this down.

"Enjoy." The elderly priest said as he left Dino and Tsuna to their devices.

At the priest's exit, the blonde started laughing and Tsuna sent a burning glare Dino's way. Dino's laughter shortened into a grin. Even while glaring, the brunette was very adorable. "You have to admit that was funny."

Tsuna's face softened, it was funny, in a humiliating sort of way. He sighed with a soft smile. "Yea."

Dino's eyes shifted to the sky. It was now turning a light blue, with a bright tint of orange. The blonde Italian noticed that they sun was going to set soon. They should be heading back down before it was too dark, or else getting down would become a problem. "Let's go back, Tsuna."

"Five more minutes." The brunette pleaded, placing his two hands up together. Tsuna didn't want to get out of the bath just yet. The blonde nodded, allowing him a few more minutes.

"Dino-san." Tsuna said softly. The brunette's eyes were concentrating on the ripples in the water, trying to hide the slight blush that was imbuing his cheeks. "I think I would like to take a ride in your Ferrari, sometime."

Dino was shocked; he never thought Tsuna would actually take him up in his offer. The brunette then added. "But, only if Romario-san comes too."

"Okay," The blonde agreed. The blonde Italian went over to Tsuna wrapping an arm around the smaller boy's waist, kissing the brunette's shoulder. "I'll hold you to it."

Chapter End

Ryokan- An inn, sometimes they have hot springs with them

* * *

Author's note: I finally finished this cliché chapter!! I had so much trouble with Dino! Why? Because it was hard for me to believe that he was the outdoorsy type, with how clumsy he is. But, I didn't come up with this side of Dino out of the blue. This image of Dino came from how he trained Hibari in canon and also Akira Amano's Hidden Bullet stories featuring Dino. I hoped you liked this chapter and if you didn't, and then look forward to the maid café next chapter. Thank you for reading this chapter and my story thus far. Please review my story-it gives me power.


	19. Tsuna the Maid

Hungry for Tsuna

Disclaimer: I don't own Reborn or its characters. All rights reserved to Akira Amano and her publishers.

Beta read by Sheridann

Chapter Nineteen: Tsuna the Maid

There was a hard knock on the door and Tsuna slowly woke up. His sleepy brown eyes looked over to his alarm clock; it was five-thirty in the morning. The freshman wondered who could be knocking on his door so early. Usually on Saturdays, Tsuna took the liberty of sleeping in. The knock came again and the brunette sluggishly slid out of bed to answer it. When he opened the door, he was presented with a sympathetic red-head.

"Irie-san?" The brunette hid a yawn behind his hand.

"Sorry, Sawada-san, but we need your help." Shouichi told Tsuna. The secretary face though tired was apologetic. He didn't want to wake Tsuna up so early in the morning, but he was desperate for him. And somehow he knew Tsuna would help him.

"Help?" Tsuna paused and he remembered. Today was the Maid café event. This day was going to be a very long day. The brunette groaned inwardly, it was obvious the mascot wasn't looking forward to his impending prostitution.

"Yep, today's the big day." Shouichi sighed with a small smile.

"I'll go get dressed, then." Tsuna said moving away from the door.

Shouichi watched the brunette moved away from the door, but before he went too far, he whispered into the room. "Okay. Go to the library building when you're done. Thank you so much, Sawada-san."

The brunette turned towards the door and nodded. "I'm glad to help."

Shouichi left, closing the door behind him.

Tsuna got dressed and headed to the library building, the sky was starting to lighten up and the sun would rise in a few hours. The campus was silent and deserted. It was kind of weird to be up so early, while most were asleep. The brunette hurried to the library building, he had already wasted enough time, and Shouichi had said that he needed help. Tsuna trekked to the other side of campus in a quick pace. He wondered what the secretary needed him for, but he was kind of happy that Shouichi could come to him when he was in trouble. Tsuna felt special. To him it seemed that the red head secretary was very capable and seemed like the type who won't allow people to help him because they may ruin his near immaculate work. Possibly, he was getting ahead of himself or perhaps he misjudged Shouichi, but he was still elated to help the Shouichi or even the student council with something besides being mascot.

The brunette saw the library building in sight. It was amazing seeing this building all fixed, he remembered what had happened when the establishment was destroyed. It was where he first met Gokudera and the first time, he actually saved someone. Recently, it was also where Gokudera and he had their first date. It was weird how one place could bring so many memories for him. The freshman was about to enter the building, when he saw something off to the side. Although, Tsuna knew he was needed, his curiosity overrode his sense of responsibility. He went off to check it out as if being pulled towards it by an unknown power. The mascot entered the wooded area near the Library and his feet lead him deeper into the forest. His feet didn't stop until he reached a garden with an assortment of flowers. Tsuna reached down to touch a tulip, but before he could touch its delicate petal someone spoke.

"You found out my secret." A voice said from behind Tsuna. The brunette swiftly turned around to see the student president, who he was surprised to see so early in the morning and also in the woods. "Promise you wouldn't tell anyone. Gardening doesn't smooth well with the guys. And Xan-chan would never allow me to live it down."

Tsuna could already picture how Xanxus would react if he did find out Byakuran had a green thumb. They would be a lot of laughing, the slinging of insults and perhaps, the little respect the vice president had for the president would be down the toilet.

"Your secret is safe with me." Tsuna promised, watching the white haired teen walk over to where he was. "Have you been taking care of them?"

"More or less." Byakuran said, going down to Tsuna's level and poking the head of a flower. "I bet you're wondering why flowers?"

"Yea." Tsuna agreed. He never took the student president as someone who would garden. Byakuran was much too lazy to do such a tedious task, but there was something about the upperclassman that seemed delicate enough to care for them.

"Well, part of it is patience." The other admitted.

"Patience?" Tsuna repeated.

Byakuran nodded and explained, "I was a spoiled brat, but after I got into flowers I learned to be more patient."

It was true, Tsuna's mother used to garden as well. While his father was absent, his mother would preoccupy herself with activities. Tsuna remembered she took up piano lessons, hosted a book club and even volunteered to do things to help out the community. Gardening was one of the ventures she took on to distract herself and it was something Tsuna was able learn about along the way. Nana told him, that he had to be very patience with flowers, giving them a lot of attention and love so that they can grow. He remembered how intolerant he was about how slow his mother's plants were growing, but when they finally did, it was incredible. Then the sweltering summer came all the plants died, and that was the end of that.

"Although, I'm not that patient." The white haired teen said, his expression pensive. "I still burn myself because I can't wait for freshly baked sweets to cool off. It's such a crime to make you wait longer."

_Why am I not surprised?_ Tsuna considered.

"But I guess, I'm also intrigued by the language of the flowers too." Byakuran added as he looked to Tsuna. When the other showed some interest, the student president further explaine. "Before love letters or birthday cards, people would give each other's flowers to express how they felt."

The brunette mulled over this tidbit of information. He then asked loudly, voicing his thoughts to the other. "Is there a flower for everything?"

"Unfortunately, some things you have to say on your own." Byakuran told the brunette.

Tsuna figured as much. It would be too easy. Things in life never were simple. However, he wasn't too crestfallen. Somehow, he knew the words he wanted to say would come out in ease. "Byakuran-san, would you want to go on a date with me?"

"Of course, Tsu-chan, you know I adore you and fantasize about you naked." The snow white haired teen agreed.

_You could have kept the last part to yourself!_ Tsuna thought, but he already expected something shameless coming from Byakuran.

The student president questioned. "So, this is what you decided to do? To give everyone a chance?"

"Yes." Tsuna confirmed, wondering what the other thought of his resolution.

"I just hope you're not compromising yourself." Said the snowy haired teen.

The brunette shook his head. "No, I think I'm the selfish one in this situation. Everyone has been very accommodating to me. I think their compromising their selves, instead."

"Tsu-chan is so naïve, still." Byakuran laughed. Tsuna pouted at the president, thinking he was more knowledgeable about the situation he was in, but from the other's laughter he only proved he was still needed to learn. The white haired teen's laughter died down, but a smirk still showed the remnants of his amusement and his purple eyes were very kind. "Being fair to everyone would only get you so far. In the end, you'll have to choose and everyone is not going to agree with it. However, what's more important is making that decision on your own. You have to be selfish when it comes to that."

Tsuna knew this; he just didn't want to think about it, yet. It was scary making such a huge choice. A decision that would affect his relationship with everyone he was involved with. He just hoped when the time came, he would make a good decision and that everyone would understand. Honestly, he was afraid that he wouldn't be able to make a decision and he didn't want to seem as if he was playing around with everyone's hearts. And what if he made a mistake? The whole situation just made him want to run away from it all.

"Tsu-chan." Byakuran called to the freshman. The brunette responded by turning in his direction, his eyes caught the other's outreached hand first. Tsuna was still, unsure of what Byakuran wanted. The student president had gently taken a hold of his hand, pulling the brunette towards him. Tsuna didn't resist nor did he have the will to. Tsuna was mesmerized by the upperclassman. He felt very comfortable around Byakuran (except when he was slinging innuendos left and right) and he felt as if he could tell him anything. Tsuna felt terrible for putting everyone against each other, making them share his time. But after talking with the student president, he felt as if a weight had been lifted from his shoulders and Tsuna was more confident on the decision he made.

Tsuna blushed as he realized he was being pulled into the other's lap. What surprised him the most was that he was shamelessly straddling the president's legs. Tsuna didn't know when it happened for him to be so accepting of this. Just a few months ago, he was shocked about waking up in the same bed with Hibari, now he was so comfortable around everyone, that kissing didn't make him grimace but tremble, in a good way.

"I'll let you in on a little secret." Byakuran continued as one of his arms encircled the smaller boy's waist and his other hand, sliding up the side of Tsuna's neck. "It may seem like we're compliant now, but really we're looking for an opening. Don't underestimate a man's ambition, when he really has his eyes set on something, he'll do anything in his power to obtain it. We won't be polite or apologize."

"And no matter how cute you are, you are still a man. When you figure out what you want, Tsu-chan…" The mascot saw a certain change in the president's eyes. There was a slight intensity to them and something within him was drawn to it. It was sucking him in, beckoning him closer and closer. Unbeknownst to Tsuna, a fire was burning within those honey irises, transforming the brunette's gentle brown eyes into glowing ardent pair. The student president didn't seem bothered by the sudden change, somehow he seem to expect it. As if, he was responsible for the ocular transformation. Byakuran whispered. "…seize it."

Byakuran's words resonated within the mascot's mind. But Tsuna didn't think of it, he merely responded to it, his body moving on its own. The brunette leaned into Byakuran with the intent to kiss. The student president was very encouraging, meeting the russet haired halfway. Their lips meant timidly at first, but soon the shyness was shed. The once chaste kiss transformed into something more passionate and needy. The brunette felt hungry and the only way to sate his appetite was by taking what he could from the student president. Tsuna wasn't sure what he craved, but his body felt like it was on the right track by the sensation he felt from the snowy haired upperclassman's mouth. Their kiss was fueling whatever need the mascot had to satisfy, but it wasn't enough. He needed more.

As if sensing the freshman's dilemma, Byakuran tilted into the osculation, placing pressure onto the school mascot's lips willing the other's mouth open. Tsuna broke under the other's will allowing the older boy entrance. The mascot nearly turned to goo when the president's tongue slipped into his mouth and began brushed against his own. His taste buds danced as the flavor of some sugary treat flooded his senses. It didn't help that the oral caresses were sending waves of shivers throughout his body. The student president did it to beckon the brunette to be more adventurous. The brunette took the bait and eagerly matched the president's buss, throwing his arms around the snowy haired teen's neck, holding him close as if someone was threatening to pull them away. The kiss became even more tantalizing as Tsuna's tongue decided to join Byakuran's in a dance. But Byakuran's attention was brought to the position of the freshman's legs that straddled his waist. The petite students legs wrapped around the president's legs like a security blanket.

Thoughtlessly, the mascot rocked against him, their groins brushing, causing a surprised gasp to erupt from the brown haired boy. The sensation warmed the freshman from head to toe. It was the kind of brush that felt good and made you continue. But Tsuna was a bit shocked by what occurred. So, everything came to a stop as Tsuna placed a small distance between their bodies as he tried to understand what took place. Byakuran watched as the brunette assessed the pleasure he felt and from the bewildered look Tsuna had on his face, he could only figure he was confused or excited. The vulpine like student mused that the freshman had probably never had the urge to touch himself. The bubbling excitement must have planted the thought into the brunette's brain, because Byakuran figured Tsuna would not have done it consciously. But in any case, the president decided to end it there, before they went too far. Although, he would love to educate the brunette, he left that for another time or unfortunately, to someone else to fill the mascot in. Plus, Tsuna and he had a lot of things to do today. "Tsu-chan, I would like to continue, but Shou-chan will be very displeased with the both of us."

"Irie-san?" The fiery gleam in the brunette's eyes died and reverted to his gentle brown hue. Mortification was present on his face as he realized that he did have something to do. "Irie-san!"

* * *

"Somehow, I believe it's your fault." Shouichi frowned with his arm crossed over his chest.

Byakuran causally shrugged, while Tsuna bowed lowly. "I'm really sorry."

"It's alright, Sawada-san." Shouichi said glaring at his student president, who only smiled back. The red haired secretary ran hand through his hair as he turned to his list of things to do. "Anyway, there are a lot of small things that need to be done. The café is going to open a few hours from now. I still have to set up the menu pad settings…"

Tsuna interrupted, "Menu pad settings?"

Shouichi looked up from his list and turned to the brunette. It dawned upon him that they didn't really discuss much with Tsuna. "We haven't told you much about the Maid café, have we?"

Tsuna shook his head. ."Well, on each table is a small touch screen pad with the maid café's menu." The secretary went over to a big cardboard box and took out a flat rectangular device. Shouichi walked back, turning it on and showed it to Tsuna. "The customers just choose what they want using this and it sends it straight to the kitchen." Shouichi added as he showed the mascot how the device worked. "Then you and the other maids pick up the orders and give it to the customers. It's pretty simple and very efficient."

"That's very smart, but how will we know which table to take the food to?" Tsuna questioned, looking up from the screen to Shouichi.

"Each pad has a table number and when the order is ready the table number will be given. Also each table has their number on it, which will be elevated and easily read from a far distance. For future reference, Tables 1 to 50 is on the first level and on the second level is 51- 100."

"There are a hundred tables here?" Tsuna exclaimed, surprised that he would have that much people.

"We're expecting a lot of people to show up, students and faculty." This coming from the student president, who decided to play on his handheld video game, instead of listening to Shouichi's boring explanation of the menu pad.

"And Spanner and I have been working really hard to make things a lot easier on you. So don't feel overwhelmed. You also have the other maids to help you." Shouichi assured the school idol.

"That's true." Tsuna admitted.

Shouichi went on to explain more about the rectangular device. "The menu pad also keeps tabs on the things ordered. When the customers are done, they are given a receipt, which must be paid at the cashier by the door. Thankfully, Hibari-san lent us some of his Disciplinary committee members to make sure no one runs off without paying. Although, we have to give a fraction of our total till for his generosity."

_A fraction?_ Tsuna raised an eyebrow at this.

"So I guess I have nothing to worry about." Tsuna sighed. Then the protagonist reconsidered his relief. He did have something to worry about. His gaze turned to the student president. "What costume choice won and what's the prize?"

Byakuran glimpsed up from his game and answered. "Well of course, Bondage cat boy won, Tsu-chan."

_I knew it; this school is full of perverts._ Tsuna frowned at the costume choice. He just hoped that Spanner would make his costume the least scanty as possible…if possible.

"As for the prize, I still haven't decided it yet." The president said nonchalantly as he continued to play on his handheld.

"What?" Tsuna and Shouichi shouted in unison.

"I was getting around to it." Byakuran said with a rueful tone, but it wasn't believable since he continued to mash buttons and stare obediently at the flashing screen.

"Byakuran-sama, this is bad. Everyone's coming in here expecting to win some awesome prize and you haven't even come up with anything yet!" Shouichi yelled at the student president, but was brought to his knees by an abrupt stomachache.

"Irie-san." Tsuna went to check on the secretary, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"It's alright; Shou-chan gets really bad stomachaches when he's stressed out." The white haired teen said calmly as he paused his game, setting the device down. Thinking of what he could do for the prize. "I said the prize was going to be something special and it has to deal with the maid café's theme…"

Tsuna and Shouichi watched the student president ponder. The brunette had to admit this was the first time, he saw the other lost in thought. It seemed as if Byakuran just went with the flow of things, going along with the waves as they come. The student president didn't seem like the type to be worried or even fluster by anything. Somehow it was nice to know that even Byakuran had to sit down and think.

Suddenly, Byakuran announced. "I got it!"

"What did you think of?" Shouichi slowly recovered, raising himself off the floor and dusting himself off.

Byakuran turned to Shouichi with a wide grin on his face. "To the person who spends the most money at the café, they will receive a private session of being spoon fed by Tsu-chan."

Tsuna glowered at this. _Why do I have to be pimped out?_

Shouichi wasn't impressed. "Did you employ one of your own fantasies and used it as the prize?"

"Maybe I did, maybe I didn't." Byakuran shrugged as he turned back to his game.

_You totally did!_ Tsuna and Shouichi thought in agreement.

"But people will go for that. Heck, they'll spend their whole life savings for it." Byakuran promised, very sure that his idea would work. The president knew as well as anyone that the students at Namimori were very taken with Tsuna and so, any opportunity to get closer to the mascot would be sought after.

Shouichi looked sympathetically at the brunette school idol, "I'm sorry, Sawada-san, that you'll have to suffer because of Byakuran-sama's depravity."

"It's okay, I expect worse things in the future, so I better get used to it." The brunette heaved a sigh. It didn't matter how shameless Byakuran was, Tsuna was well aware he was under contract. If he knew now all the things he would endure being mascot, the freshman would have never signed the document.

"Some people are more brazen than I am." Byakuran defended himself as he continued to button mash. The snow white haired president then looked up from the flashing screen. "You should always stick with the evil you know, Tsu-chan."

The protagonist brooded. "That is true. And I only have to spoon fed the winner. It's not like I'm doing anything else."

"That's the spirit, Tsu-chan. I knew I could count on you." Byakuran commended the brunette with a smile.

"Sawada-san, you really shouldn't condone his behavior." Shouichi glowered. "But if it's okay with you it'll have to do. If you have any questions feel free to ask."

Speaking of questions, Tsuna had something on his mind for a quite a long time. He noticed that not everyone on the student council was here. Tsuna expected to see all the members here. "Why aren't Xanxus, Squalo and Spanner here?"

Byakuran answered first, his lilac eyes still focused on the game he was playing. "Well, Otachan is taking a nap. Of course, he wouldn't miss the chance to see you in costume, though."

Tsuna did remember Shouichi telling him how much work Spanner was doing for the Maid Café. It was nice of Shouichi and Byakuran to give the blonde otaku his much needed rest.

"As for Xanxus-sama, he usually doesn't associate with school events." Shouichi stated, "But, Squalo-san should be here later."

"That seems like him." Tsuna commented a bit disappointed that the vice president wasn't coming. Tsuna had observed that Xanxus was a hermit of sorts. It was rare to see him out and about. Usually, when he saw the vice president, he was by himself or accompanied by Squalo. It definitely surprised the brunette that Xanxus would actually leave his seclusion to pick a fight with Gokudera. The freshman figured what motivated Xanxus that night was either his fury or perhaps that the vice president cared about him (just a tiny bit). Tsuna concluded that the Italian was pissed about something or else, Xanxus would not have bothered.

"That is why we're kind of shorthanded today. I'm sorry you had to help out here, when you're also doing the event too." Shouichi said bowing his head lowly in an apologetic stance.

Tsuna waved his hands about trying to relieve Shouichi of thinking he was imposing on him. "It's okay. Everyone else was working so hard, so I guess I need to put in some work too."

The red haired secretary beamed thankfully at the brunette. It was very rare for him to hear such thoughtfulness. He was surrounded by so many selfish people, he even forgotten that such beings existed. Speaking of very selfish individuals, Shouichi looked over to Byakuran. "I wish **other** people were so considerate."

Oblivious to Shouichi's stab, Byakuran was preoccupied with the motions of his game. It was only a few seconds later that he actually looked up, feeling as if the secretary had said something to him. "You were saying something, Shou-chan?"

Shouichi frowned, gripping the clipboard in his hand even more tightly. Tsuna observed that the clipboard was starting to splinter. The secretary was about to let Byakuran know of all his frustrations, but he was interrupted by the creak of a door opening and closing. "Yare, yare. Do you always have to call me when you're in a mess?"

Shouichi paused in his mid-eruption to respond to the newcomer. It was a boy about Shouichi's height with wavy black hair, emerald green eyes though one of his eyes were closed, under his opened eye was a number sign symbol. Since it was the weekend, everyone was in casual clothing; the mysterious boy opted to wearing a cow print t-shirt with a black hooded sweatshirt and khaki shorts and brown sandals.

"I'm sorry, but I need all the help I could get." Shouichi replied to the other. The school mascot noticed how familiar the secretary was with the dark haired stranger, so he assumed that they were friends. From what Tsuna could see, Lambo seemed very mature although, not as strict as Shouichi, this boy had a certain composed bearing about him. The red haired teen turned to Tsuna. "Sawada-san, this is my friend, Lambo. Lambo, this is Sawada Tsunayoshi."

"Nice to meet you." The brunette greeted with a small smile.

Lambo regarded the brunette with a slight nod. "So, you've been asked here to pick up the slack, too?"

Shouichi became flustered at Lambo's choice of words. "Don't put it that way."

The dark haired teen smiled softly at the red haired secretary. "You've been a good friend to me, so I don't mind helping out."

"I hope so." Shouichi said with a breath of relief.

"Oh? Lambo-chan is here, too." The student president greeted the dark haired teen. "I haven't seen you in a while."

"That's because you're always MIA." Lambo replied lazily.

"Guilty as charged." The student president chuckled.

_How about you just do your work, Byakuran-sama?_ Shouichi thought bitterly, but he let it go. The student president just didn't like being contained or restricted. It was his personality, a bad character trait, but still a part of Byakuran that he doomed to accept throughout his presidency.

The red headed secretary cleared his throat, looking to both Lambo and Tsuna. "Alright, let's get started."

* * *

For the most part of the morning, Tsuna and Lambo jumped from one job to the other. First they had to sweep and mop the two floors, set up the tables and chairs, place tablecloths on each table and even help set up the menu pads. Currently, the two were taking a break after working nearly three hours straight. Thankfully, Byakuran was nice enough to order donuts for breakfast before he disappeared to do errands only the president knew about. Shouichi was actually taking care of the food that was catered for the event, while they relaxed.

"What else needs to be done?" Lambo sighed as he took a sip of his carton of milk.

"The banner, the register and we have to unpack the plates and silverware." Tsuna said in between munching on a glazed donut.

"Silverware?" Lambo questioned.

Tsuna nodded, he thought it was a bit much to use something so expensive. "They want it to be as authentic as possible."

"Then the plates must be expensive, too." The other teen noted.

Tsuna finished off his donut and started on a strawberry frosted one. His brown eyes looked over to where Shouichi was. The red head was currently doing inventory of all the food, scribbling down his calculations on paper. Tsuna turned back to his fellow laborer. "Are you good friends with Irie-san?"

Lambo looked over to Shouichi and then answered. "I suppose so."

"Is Irie-san always so serious?" Tsuna wondered, not realizing he was saying his thoughts out loud.

"Not at all." The other replied, making the brunette very interested. "Outside of the student council, he's a totally different person. He's a music lover and a very sloppy person. Shouichi may seems prim and proper in front of everyone, but only a few people truly know the real him. He's a very good person, though."

"Really?" Tsuna couldn't believe it. Shouichi always seemed so controlled. He would never think in a million years that he was a sloppy person. Maybe a music lover, but Tsuna could never see Shouichi as a person who was untidy. But somehow it made the redhead seem more relatable. Perhaps that was the key to how Shouichi was able to get along with the student president.

"Sawada-san," The secretary approached the two. "Maybe, you should start getting ready for the café. Lambo and I can take care of the rest."

"Are you sure?" Tsuna asked it still seemed as if there were a lot of things that needed to be done. "I can still do a few more things..."

"Thank you for all your help, Sawada-san, but this isn't what you signed up for. We need you energetic enough for the event."

"Okay." The brunette complied. He turned to Lambo. "It was nice talking to you. I hope I see you around."

"I'm sure we will meet again." Lambo said coolly with a slight smirk.

"Hiiiieeee! They moved!" The brunette shrieked as his mechanical ears began moving on their own.

The school idol was already in costume. Donning a leather halter corset with lacing in the front, the straps tied to the back of Tsuna's neck, leaving his arms and half of his shoulder's bare. The corset exposed a great amount of the brunette's back as well. Tsuna wore matching black shorts stopping to half his thigh. The shorts had an identical lacing to his corset on the sides. A large leather collar was around his neck with a large, noisy bell that jingled every time he moved. On his feet were knee high boots with zipper details on the side of the shoes. On his wrists were fake metal bonds that had a broken chain attached to them. Apparently there was more to the costume, but somehow, Byakuran got a hold of the garment and became scissor happy. He apparently did this act recently, so Spanner couldn't make a new one. Goodies for Tsuna. The outfit wasn't complete without the feline accessories, ears and tail. However, when the mascot placed them on, he found out they were ALIVE!

Spanner watched Tsuna with a deadpan look as he watched the mascot shriek over his creations. He calmly informed the brunette that the accessories were special. "Your ears and tail are mood reactive."

"Mood reactive?" Tsuna murmured still getting used to the movement of his ears and tail. Too bad the freshman didn't get the uptake that his sudden movements were the root of the mechanical ears' activity. Every flinch or twitch caused the ears and tail to react to the mascot's jumpiness.

"According to your mood, your ears and tail will move in the ways a cat's would. It's the thing that been lacking in cat related cosplay, the movement that actually makes the costume realistic. It's not about the aesthetic, but the motion."

Tsuna didn't know what Spanner was talking about, but he was skeptical about placing these things on him. Nonetheless, people were expecting a cat boy and they were going to get one. It took a while for Tsuna to get used to it, mostly because it followed his moods to a T. Currently, he was nervous, so the ears decided to flatten against his unruly hair and the tail stayed curled between his legs. It was really embarrassing!

The blonde treasure slapped a hand to his forehead. "Well at least their working properly."

The door to the student council office opened and Shouichi walked in, his eyes were down on his clipboard as he spoke. "Sawada-san, are you dressed yet? I need you to-"

His green eyes met Tsuna and he was stunned. Not only did Tsuna look adorable, but provocative. Shouichi didn't know how to react, what to say and he even forgot how to move for a second.

"Irie-san?" Tsuna questioned, surprised by the other's speechlessness. Causing his ears to perk up and his tails swish slowly from side to side in interest.

Shouichi blushed and said meekly. "The costume looks really good on you, Sawada-san."

Tsuna looked down at his garment and smiled. "Well, I hope so. I think I look silly."

"Not at all!" Shouichi started. "I think everyone will really like you in that."

"I hope so." Tsuna smiled warmly, causing Shouichi's blush to worsen.

The secretary cleared his throat regaining himself. "Sawada-san, would you go meet with the girls?"

"The girls?" Tsuna repeated mildly.

"You should go get acquainted with them, since you'll be working with them." Shouichi insisted.

"Okay." Tsuna agreed, but he was a bit afraid. From what Dino told him about the girls from Saxifrage Academia, the brunette was a bit frightened about meeting the girls he would be working with. He wondered if they would hurt him, just as any intruder on their campus would endure, but Shouichi was right. It was better to get familiar with them, so that they could have an easier time during the event.

So, the school idol went to see the girls. Tsuna stood outside the door, preparing himself. As he waited for his nerves to calm, he could hear them conversing with one another in elevated pitches. After a while, he gained the courage to knock on the door to what could be his impending doom or a bridge to forming good relationships with the girls. An enthusiastic voice called from the other side. "Who is it?"

"I'm Sawada Tsunayoshi. The head maid-" Before Tsuna could finish, the door abruptly opened and a hand pulled him in without a word of explanation. The brunette was thrust into the room, the mascot landing ungracefully on the floor. He looked up from his place and realized that he was surrounded by a group of girls.

"Tsuna-san…" A spunky girl with dark brown hair helped him up from the floor and once the school idol managed to get up on his two feet, she grasping his arm tightly, squealing. "I'm touching him!"

_What is up with this girl?_ Tsuna thought to himself, horrified by the girl's actions.

The girl who opened the door was already in costume, wearing a yellow dress with straps that criss-crossed in the front and back. The bottom of the dress was tiered and lighter than the top. She wore black punks and black gloves. She had matching yellow cat cars, which were stationary. Then the spunky girl introduced herself. "I'm Haru. Your biggest fan!"

"Fan?" Tsuna stared blankly at the brown haired girl.

"You're famous, Sawada-san." A girl with dark orange hair and bright brown eyes said.

"Famous?" Tsuna questioned, but Haru was already pulling him around the room to meet everyone.

First she pointed to the last girl who spoke, her name was Kyoko, wearing a white strapless mini dress. The dress stopped above the knee, where large white flowers were was positioned on the right bottom side of the dress. Like Haru, Kyoko wore white gloves on her hands and her white shoes were Mary Janes with flowers. Her cat ears were also white.

Next, Haru introduced him to Bianchi, a beautiful girl with dark pink hair and emerald eyes. The emerald eyes seemed to look familiar, but the brunette didn't mention it. Bianchi's features looked foreign and Tsuna bet she was Italian; most foreigners at his school were from there apparently. She was wearing a dark purple strapless corset and dark pant with matching purple heels. Her cat ears were purple.

Haru pulled Tsuna along to a timid girl in the corner with long purple hair and large violet eyes. She was pale and looked frail, but somehow something in her eyes told him that this girl survived a lot of hardships. The yellow clad girl told the mascot that her name was Chrome, which was a weird name for a girl. Chrome was wearing a light pink baby doll dress. The dresses stopped a few inches above the knee and around the waist was a black silk bow. Her shows were strappy pink and black platform heels. Around her neck was a black studded collar like Tsuna, but her's had a pink bow tied in the front of it. Chrome wore pink cat ears to complete the costume.

A Chinese girl with long braids, styled in large loops approached Haru and Him. She introduced herself as I-pin and she spoke pretty good Japanese. I-pin wore a bright red mandarin collared bodysuit that was skin tight. She wore red heels, matching the color of her suit. Her cat ears were red. Near I-pin was a girl with long blue hair and matching eyes named Bluebell wore a dark blue tube top with black shorts and a dark jacket. She work gray knee his boots and her cat ears were baby blue.

And lastly, Haru introduced him to an intimidating girl; M.M. Tsuna tried not to grimace at the girl's scrutinizing brown eyes. She was wearing a dark green mini with matching dark green jacket, having the first few buttons to reveal a dark purple bra. M.M's cat ears were a forest green.

The taller girl with the pinkish hair said. "You've inspired a lot of the girls at school."

"Inspired?" Tsuna repeated, not understanding what everyone was saying.

"Will you guys stop beating around the bush? He doesn't know what you're talking about. Can't you tell by that dumb expression he's making." M.M. interjected. She turned sharp eyes to Tsuna, which made the brunette flinch. "Well, since we don't have television or any access to anything fun in the middle of nowhere. We decided to exploit a couple of the new freshmen at Namimori and turn their lives into spectacle for us, girls, to enjoy. However, we never expected we would get someone like you."

"You're so shrimpy, but you have something that the guys like here." This coming from Bluebell.

Tsuna tried to understand what M.M. was telling him. "So, you're telling me, you've been recording my life at Namimori for your enjoyment?"

"Yep!" Haru responded enthusiastically.

M.M. shrugged her shoulders. "Pretty much."

"We have a blog and a twitter account." I-pin informed, showing Tsuna her portable device, which featured both sites.

"And we totally know you were making out with the student president earlier." Bianchi added, giving the brunette a knowing look.

_So fast…_ Tsuna considered. That happened only this morning and they already knew. He was even more suspicious on how did they know about Byakuran and him in the first place. Had they somehow seen him? "How do you know this?"

"Your security sucks. Anyone could walk on campus. Good thing you don't have anything valuable." M.M. stated.

Haru revealed. "Yep, Bianchi and I were able to take lots of pictures of Tsuna-san for our candid photo book series. It was a bestseller. A lot of the guys brought them too."

"Oh boy…" Tsuna groaned, everywhere he went someone was exploiting him. First it was the student council with being their mascot and now, he found out he had a fan club of fan girls. No wonder Dino warned him about those girls. They were scary, even scarier than the boys. At least with the guys, there was a sense of boundaries…sometimes.

Kyoko placed a hand on Tsuna's shoulder, which was actually very comforting given the situation. "Don't worry we're not out to defame you. We're supporting you."

"Supporting me?" Tsuna repeated, surprised by the other's reply. How was using him as a spectacle supporting him?

Then Haru punched a fist in the air and cried. "Yes! Fight, Tsuna-san, fight!"

"Don't give up. Do your best." I-Pin encouraged with a heartening smile.

The intimidating one told him. "You should choose someone with money."

"No, love is more important." Bianchi said adamantly, while throwing a glare at M.M.

Bluebell puffed out her cheeks, swinging her feet. "Love is so overrated. You should choose someone who's fun and strong. Don't pick anyone that's stupid, though."

Suddenly the girls were divided. Bianchi, Haru and I-pin were on one side screaming, "True love! True love!"

"What's love have to do with it?" Bluebell and M.M. spat back, completing the opposing side.

The five girls began to squabble over their opinions on love. Chrome just watched from the sidelines as the other girls bickered. There was no way to tell what was on the timid girl's mind while she watched this, but somehow it seemed familiar. As if they had argued this before. Tsuna tried his best to ignore the girls; they were talking about what he should go for. Love or the next best thing. The brunette wasn't sure what he wanted. All he knew was that he was in a tough situation and he would have to make a big decision. Dread wasn't a word that could describe what he felt, but it was close.

"Actually, I'm rooting for my big brother." Kyoko admitted over the girls.

Tsuna turned to Kyoko, giving the other his attention. "Your big brother?"

She nodded with her bright smile. "Sasagawa Ryohei."

"You're his sister?" Tsuna shrieked, unable to believe that energetic Ryohei was related to such a sweet, cute girl like Kyoko.

Kyoko actually looked surprised. "Don't you see the resemblance?"

_No!_ Tsuna thought in his mind.

"Um…" Tsuna heard the quiet voice and when he turned in that direction, he realized the purple haired girl in the corner had left her place and started to walk over to him. Chrome looked like she wanted to say something to him, but before she could utter what was on her mind; a knock came to the door.

As soon as the mascot looked the less bit distracted, Chrome retreated to her place in the corner. Tsuna frowned at this, not meaning to scare her away. He figured he would apologize later and went to answer the door. It was Shouichi. "Is everyone ready?"

"Yes, we're all dressed." The brunette informed the student council's secretary.

"Good. We're about to open, we need everyone in front to greet the students."

Suddenly, Bianchi could be heard screaming, "Love is the only important thing in this world!"

"Money is!" M.M. shouted back.

"What is going on?" Shouichi inquired, curious to know why the girls were shouting but not brave enough to find out.

"I'll tell you later." Tsuna said gloomily. He then ignored what was going on inside and focused on the Maid café. "Okay. I'll get everyone to the front."

* * *

The students have lined up outside, waiting to enter. However, before they were permitted entry, they had to hear a few things from the class representative, Suberbia Squalo. At the entrance of the Library, stood the long haired swordsman, his light blue eyes surveyed the crowd in front of him. He was then offered a megaphone but turned it down, he didn't need it. These pieces of trash would be able to hear him and if they didn't, too fucking bad.

"VOOOOOIIII!" Squalo roared, getting everyone's attention. The area in front of the Library building was completely quiet. Except for the sounds of nature that could not be silenced. "LISTEN UP! BEFORE ANY OF YOU COME IN, YOU'VE GOT TO GET FAMILARIZED WITH THE RULES. LISTEN WELL BECAUSE I'M NOT FUCKING REPEATING MYSELF. AND IT'S NOT WISE TO BREAK ANY RULES, EITHER."

"NUMBER ONE! KEEPING YOUR FUCKING HANDS TO YOURSELF! THE MAIDS ARE OFF LIMITS. NO TOUCHING, NO SLIPS OR BRUSHES BECAUSE YOU WON'T HAVE A HAND TO SCRATCH YOUR ASS LATER." With this there were a few squirms from the student body, but no one dared to object.

"NUMBER TWO! NO SUGGESTIVE GESTURES OR INNUENDOS ARE TO BE SAID OR DONE IN THE EVENT. IF YOU GOT SOMETHING CLEVER TO SAY, KEEP IT TO YOURSELF. YOU'LL LIVE THROUGH THIS."

"NUMBER THREE! BE COURTEOUS TO THE MAIDS! I DON'T CARE IF YOU'RE HAVING A SHITTY DAY OR YOUR PARENTS DIED OR YOU DOG, SPOT, IS MISSING, BE POLITE AND PLEASANT AT ALL TIMES."

"NUMBER FOUR! DON'T STEAL! WE'LL FUCKING KILL YOU ON THE SPOT!"

"NUMBER FIVE! FOOD FIGHTS…" The class representative paused briefly at this point. His eyes narrowed and his voice, though loud, was lethal. "YOU FUCKERS BETTER NOT DO THIS!"

Squalo took out his cell phone and turned it off. "NUMBER SIX! NO CAMERAS OR VIDEO CAMERAS ARE PERMITTED. CELLPHONES MUST BE TURNED OFF AT ALL TIMES!"

"NUMBER SEVEN! NO LOITERING! YOU HAVE NO MONEY? THEN GET THE HELL OUT!"

"NUMBER EIGHT! DON'T MESS WITH PROPS, EQUIPMENT OR ANYTHING IN THE CAFÉ. YOU FUCKING BREAK IT, YOU'RE PAYING FOR IT."

"NUMBER NINE! NO FIGHTING!"

Squalo's blade somehow appeared in the upperclassmen's hand and he waved it around dangerously as if threatening to chop off the heads of those closest. "NUMBER TEN! I'LL BE WATCHING ALL YOU PIECES OF TRASH, SO YOU BETTER NOT TRY ME. IF I SEE ANYONE OUT OF LINE, YOU'RE SHARK BAIT, EVEN IF IT WASN'T IN THE RULES."

From this point, the student president took the floor from Squalo. While everyone was quiet with the class representative, everyone was pretty enthusiastic seeing Byakuran take the stage. The snow headed teen smiled, loving the attention. He then placed a hand to his lips and hushed everyone, so that he could speak. Surprisingly the student body was very obedient.

"You guys should listen to Same-chan, he's very serious." Byakuran finished, "Anyway, without any further delay, The Maid Café is now open for business."

Doors opened revealing the dark decor of the café. The whole building was illuminated by candlelight and also from the chandeliers above. Despite the candle lightening it was bright enough to see everything in detail. The tables had dark cloths places on them with a three candle holder placed on each table. The candle holders had numbers embedded into them, though discreet, it was still visible to see from afar. The walls of the library were decorated with an assortment of tools, from paddles to whips, from chains to spikes. It really looked like some kind of S&M dungeon.

Not too far from the entrance stood Tsuna and the girls standing on both sides of the door. The maids had the biggest smiles on their faces as the first throng of guest entered the Library. "Irrashaimase!"

The Maid Café was in full swing and the maids were working extra hard. Orders were pouring in like an endless rain shower, but since the work was split evenly among Tsuna and the girls, it wasn't as daunting as they had first perceived. Everything went smoothly; almost so smooth that Tsuna couldn't believe it. He had to pinch himself several times just to make sure he was awake and not dreaming this. But somehow he was thankfully this was really going on; he would hate to repeat this twice.

_Don't trip. Don't trip. Don't trip._ Tsuna neared his twentieth table of the day and for the first time, he recognized the people who sat there. As if sensing his approach, the duo turned around greeted him.

Belphegor wore his trademark toothy grin. "The doll finally comes by."

"Hello, fetish-san." Fran greeted.

_Fetish-san? _Tsuna grimaced. He then greeted the two respectfully as he placed their beverages down. "Bel-san, Fran."

"You must be, Sawada Tsunayoshi." A teen with sunglasses and neon colored hair caught the mascot's attention. "You're looking fabulous."

Tsuna smiled kindly at the other. "Not at all. Are you a friend of those two?"

"I'm the mother hen, Lussuria. But you can call me Lussy, for short."

_Mother hen? Lucy? _Tsuna smiled politely, but he was tearfully confused on why someone would like to be known as a mother hen or even called Lucy. Wasn't that a girl's name?

"I didn't know the doll was into this sort of thing." Belphegor said, tugging at the end of Tsuna's corset. "I've got a nice dungeon at home. Would you like to see it?"

_Dungeon? They still exist? _ The brunette laughed nervously more out of terror than amusement. "I don't like dark places. So I'll have to pass."

"See I told you fetish-san, Bel-senpai isn't a prince. He needs to go into prince rehab, I think the dark witch warped his mind."

"No one asked you, Frog." The blonde prince swiftly threw a knife at Fran's direction.

The knife hit Fran on the forehead. Tsuna paled, Belphegor snickered, pleased by his aim and other onlookers looked frightened. Unfortunately, Fran was indifferent, crossing his eyes as he looked at the hilt of the knife protruding out of his head. "Now I'm going to have a nasty knife scar and no girl will look at me."

"Stop whining." Belpegor smirked.

Lussuria reprimanded the prince and frog. "This is why I can't take you two anywhere nice."

_You shouldn't bring them anywhere?_ Tsuna thought in his head, trying to shake the horrifying image out of his head.

"VOOOOI!" The loud mouthed class representative roared as he approached the quartet. The light blue eyes of Squalo fell on Tsuna. "SHITTY BRAT, I DIDN'T KNOW YOU WERE INTO S&M."

"I'm not. It's a costume." The brunette corrected, using this opportunity to distract himself from staring at the knife stuck in Fran's head.

Squalo looked to Fran. "WHY DO YOU HAVE A KNIFE IN YOUR FACE?"

There goes Tsuna trying to forget about it.

"Bel-senpai threw it at me when I told him he needed to go to rehab." Explained Fran as he sipped at his drink, nonchalantly. The hilt of the knife, hitting against the cup's side.

"OH. I THOUGHT IT WAS SOMETHING ELSE." Squalo dismissed.

_Hello? This is not normal, people?_ Tsuna screamed in his head.

"Hey, submissive-san, can you kiss it and make it better. Maybe I'll transform into a prince, too."

"Um…." Tsuna stalled.

"YOU'VE GOT A LOT OF NERVE, FROG." Squalo yelled, his blade somehow materializing in his hand. "WEREN'T YOU LISTENING TO ANY OF MY RULES?"

"I think I want frog legs as an appetizer." Belphegor said out of the blue. He then looked to Fran. "Ushishi. Too bad they're not on the menu. What will I do?"

The light green haired boy maintained his deadpan look, not at all flustered by the threatening looks of his peers. "If you guys wanted to kiss, Cat o' nine tails- san, why didn't you just say so?"

_Cat o' nine tails? What's that?_ Tsuna thought pensively. Lussuria had a knowledgeable grin on his face, though.

"SHUT THE FUCK UP, FRAN! JUST FOR THAT I'M DISECTING YOUR ASS."

"Squ-kun, don't tell me Bel's masochism is rubbing off on you?" Lussuria hummed at the class representative's violent claim.

Belphegor chimed in. "Ushishishi. I think it was that game we played last night. Operation, was it?"

"Too bad Squalo-senpai cut it in half because he kept touching the sides, thinking he was supposed to do that." Fran sighed nonchalantly.

"VOOOIII! HOW WAS I SUPPOSE TO KNOW THE BUZZING SOUND WAS BECAUSE HE WAS IN PAIN?"

Tsuna decided not to be shocked. At this point, the brunette believed that these people were insane and that was it. He was going to take this cue to slip away while he still could, but Lussuria stopped him before he could.

"Such rambunctious boys they are." Lussuria commented to Tsuna as the rest continued to bicker about who knows what. The mascot looked to the student with sunglasses with curiosity. "Finally, I wanted to speak to you about our Vice president."

"Xanxus?" Tsuna questioned.

Lussuria half-frowned, half pouted at the mention of Xanxus's name. "That sourpuss didn't want to come here himself."

The brunette smiled, sympathetically. He briefly surveyed the place and then brought back his gaze to Lussuria. "I guess this is not really his scene."

"Not at all, dear." The neon haired student agreed. Lussuria then smiled at Tsuna and if it wasn't for the sunglasses hiding his eyes, the freshman would have seen a very shrewd gaze. "But I'm sure he would like if you came to visit."

The brunette blushed slightly at this. Visiting Xanxus was something Tsuna had already planned to do, even if Lussuria hadn't brought it up. Tsuna had figured that he would have to look for the vice president, Xanxus seeking him the other day was one of those one time things. An uncharacteristic visit Tsuna was sure he would have to pay for. "I could do that, since he went out of his way to see me. I should return the favor."

"You should~." The flamboyant boy encouraged, "He could always use the company."

Tsuna nodded with a small smile. Pleased, Lussuria turned to reprimand Squalo and Belphegor who were attempting to saw into Fran, probably for a snide comment. The brunette turned on his heels and kept walking, not looking back. He wondered how Xanxus could deal with them. Then he remember Squalo telling him, how the vice president threw a bottle at him and it all made sense.

When Tsuna received this next order, he was surprised by the amount of sweets. There were treats from creampuffs to strawberry shortcake. The brunette wondered who this order could belong to and so when he carried the heavy try to table 100, he found his answer.

"Tsu-chan! I was hoping you would come by." The student president greeted.

Shouichi looked to the snowy haired teen. "What are you talking about? You've been ordering stuff back to back."

Byakuran frowned at the secretary. "Well, I also want to win, Shou-chan."

"Of course, you do." Remarked the redhead, trying not to roll his eyes.

"Wouldn't you get sick from eating all of this?" Tsuna questioned as he placed the cakes down on the table and putting the empty plates and cups on to his tray.

"Believe me, Sawada-san, this is all he eats." Shouichi said disapprovingly.

The brunette figured as much, he had never seen the president eat anything close to a real meal. His eyes then noticed a dark haired teen with golden eyes. He was standing behind Byakuran and Shouichi's table, with his arms crossed over his chest. Even though this person was wearing a Namimori school uniform, he seemed more like a bodyguard than a student. The mascot could only feel a standoffish vibe from him that made him squirm nervously despite his comical short and rounded eyebrows.

"Oh? You haven't met, right?" Shouichi began, noticing Tsuna's attention to the new student. "That's Byakuran's friend, Genkishi."

"Genkishi?" Tsuna repeated. It was a weird name, but then again no one was normal here and telling from this person's aura, no one would dare make fun of him. Even standing by the wall he was causing such a stir. The neighboring tables seemed to be a bit farther from where they were positioned and the occupants of the nearby tables had their shoulders hunched and their heads down avoiding any eye contact at Genkishi or anyone at this table.

"Gen-chan may look very moody, but he's very happy to meet Tsu-chan." Byakuran mouthed as he started at the creampuffs. "Right, Gen-chan?"

The mascot cringed as Genkishi turned his sharp eyes toward him. Tsuna bowed slightly. "Nice to meet you."

Genkishi dipped his head in response.

"Have you been getting along with the girls?" Shouichi asked the petite brunette

"Yes," Tsuna answered, but then his expression became uneasy. "But they did say something that worries me."

"Oh, like what?" Byakuran questioned with interest.

"Did you know they've been recording my life here?"

"No…" Shouichi said in surprised, but trailed off to look at his student president, who was awfully quiet. Usually, when it came to stuff like this the snow headed teen, would be very protective. The fact that he didn't show any hint of concern, meant he knew. "Byakuran-sama."

Byakuran pouted. "It was all in good fun, plus how else was I going to keep tabs on Tsu-chan."

"It's invasion of privacy!" Shouichi and Tsuna scolded the student president in unison.

"Does he know about the photo books?" Spanner asked as he neared the table.

Byakuran frowned at Spanner as he sat down. "Anything else you would like to bring up, Otachan?"

"I know about the photo books, the girls told me." Tsuna informed Byakuran.

"Tsuna-san!" Tsuna looked down several tables to see Haru struggling with her tray. He waved at her, letting the spunky girl know he was on his way. He turned back to everyone at the table, but his eyes were set on the student president. "I have to go, but I want to know what else you've been doing behind my back."

"That would have to wait until we go on our date, Tsu-chan." Byakuran answered with a mesmeric smirk.

The brunette blushed, mainly because he was reminded by what occurred this morning between the student president and him. Without another word, the brunette went off to help Haru. The brunette maid was having trouble with her full tray. So Tsuna split it between them and brought it back to the makeshift kitchen that was created for the event.

"Thank you, Tsuna-san, I couldn't have done it by myself. You're my hero!"

"I'm glad I was able to help." The mascot said sweetly.

Haru went off to take the next order to the table, leaving Tsuna.

"Sawada-san." A soft voice came up to him.

Tsuna turned to see the purple haired girl. He tried to remember her name, but somehow forgotten it. "I'm sorry, I forgot your name."

"Chrome." She replied meekly as she played with her hands.

Tsuna noticed that this girl had been trying to speak to him all day. "There's been something you wanted to ask me, Chrome-san?"

Chrome nodded in agreement. She blushed lightly as she began to speak. "I wanted to ask you about Mukuro-sama."

_Mukuro?_ Tsuna eyes widened at this. He never thought a girl like Chrome would know someone as devious as Mukuro. He watched the timid girl, sort out her words and from her mannerisms; Tsuna could only guess that Mukuro was someone she knew very well. It seemed as if Chrome was deeply concerned for the delinquent, leading the mascot to draw conclusions on the girl's relationship with the illusionist. _Is it possible that Chrome is an ex-girlfriend or perhaps, a current girlfriend?_

Finally Chrome mustered the courage to ask. "Is he doing okay?"

Tsuna was surprised by the question, but decided to answer as truthfully as he could. "From what I've seen, he's doing well."

The purple haired maid released a breath that she was holding. Her cheeks were rosy and her purple eyes renewed with hope and joy, Chrome was very cute. "Thank goodness."

Before, Tsuna could say anything else Chrome was already walking away from him, heading back inside. The brunette figured that was what she wanted to know and his crappy answer was the answer she had been hoping for. However, answering her question only led to more questions about the illusionist for him to solve. Now the mascot was even more interested about Mukuro's past.

* * *

On Tsuna's break, the brunette sought out his friends. Throughout most of the event he hadn't seen any of them. He found them on the first floor and was surprised to see them all at one table. Although, he didn't see Gokudera among them. He walked up to the table.

Yamamoto spotted him first. "Tsuna."

"Hey." The mascot responded sheepishly. "Do you mind if I sit with you guys for a bit?"

"Of course. You can sit on my lap, Tsuna." Dino offered.

Tsuna opened his mouth, but before he could make it out, a bump was made under the table. Gokudera revealed himself by lifting up the cloth. "No way! Tenth, you can sit in my chair, I'll just get another."

The brunette looked to the bomber. "What are you doing under the table, Gokudera?"

Yamamoto started to laugh, piquing Tsuna's interest.

"Keep your damn mouth shut, baseball freak!" Gokudera pointed at the baseball obsessed teen, warning him. He then turned to Tsuna. "No reason, Tenth."

_There's definitely a reason! _The brunette thought to himself, but decided to just ignore it. Tsuna sat down in the vacant chair, while he watched Gokudera bully their neighbor into giving up his chair. _You said you'd get another chair, not steal one!_

"You've been working really hard." Dino brought up as the bomber rejoined them, sitting next to Tsuna, of course.

"Well, it isn't that bad." Tsuna said modestly. Thanks to Shouichi and Spanner most of the work was done by the machines. It really took the pressure off of getting orders wrong or any other mishap. Also the brunette was very grateful to his mantra, if it wasn't for that he would have definitely tripped.

"Kyoko said the same thing." Ryohei added, but the boxer's grey eyes were looking around the café.

"Sasagawa-san, I didn't know your sister was so cute." The mascot commented. He still couldn't believe that Ryohei's sibling was so sweet and calm. Genetics were a strange and amazing thing.

"Yes, she's very cute." Ryohei started, sounding like his normal energetic self. But that ended as his eyes went back to café. "Although, I want to punch some of these guys, to the extreme!"

"Senpai's been in a bad mood all day and I wondered why. Now I know." Yamamoto laughed.

"Any brother would be protective of his little sister." The cat clad freshman figured. Their costumes were a bit…revealing and Ryohei probably didn't appreciate the looks his little sister was receiving. But looks couldn't kill, so Kyoko was safe if they only looked and wasn't encouraged to do more. The boys were behaving themselves, which surprised Tsuna; he had thought they would be all over the girls. Perhaps they really were afraid of Squalo mutilating them.

Gokudera interjected, his emerald eyes as heated as Ryohei's. "I didn't like how some the guys were looking at the tenth, either."

_You're protective for a different reason, though._ Tsuna considered mentally.

"That's true, Tsuna is the main attraction. Even though there are girls here, most of the guys are more interested in their mascot." Dino added, revealing that he had observed that as well.

"It's because of these." The russet headed mascot pointed to his mechanical ears. "I'm the only one that has things moving about."

"It's like you're a real cat, Tsuna." Yamamoto said as he reached over to touch Tsuna's cat ears.

_At least, cats have fur. I'm practically naked._ The brunette said to himself.

The protagonist began to blush as Yamamoto fondled his ear. The athlete's hand was so close that it seemed as if it was hovering over his skin. Tsuna could feel the baseball player's energy pass over him, a calming wave with the power to pull him under. Something inside Tsuna wished that Yamamoto would lower his hand just a bit to touch him, so he could feel the other even better.

"It moved." Was the baseball fanatic's excited cry.

The sudden cry woke Tsuna out of his thought process, causing his ears to move once more against Yamamoto's hand. The silver haired bomber spat at Yamamoto as he slapped the athlete's hand away. "Keep your hands to yourself, idiot!"

"So this is where you've been hiding, Hayato." Bianchi said as she approached their table. Gokudera cursed under his breath and looked away, not giving the other any eye contact.

"Bianchi-san?" The mascot turned to the purple clad maid. "You know Gokudera?"

The pink haired maid looked to Tsuna. "Didn't Hayato tell you? I'm his older sister."

_What?_ Tsuna exclaimed in his head. He then looked between Gokudera and Bianchi. At first, he didn't see the resemblance, but when he looked closely he realized they had the same eyes. His eyes finally settled on his silver haired friend. "This is your sister, Gokudera?"

The bomber nodded his head reluctantly; he would never lie to the tenth.

"He's been hiding under the table this whole time." The blonde upperclassmen informed Bianchi.

"Shut up, Bastard!" Gokudera growled at Dino, who only smirked at the bomber.

Bianchi placed her hands on her hips and frowned at her little brother. "You couldn't say hi to your own sister."

Gokudera turned to his older sister, keeping his eyes low and spat. "Who would want to say hi to you?"

"Don't be shy, Hayato." Bianchi said as she moved around the table to Gokudera.

Fear gripped the bomber as he watched the pink haired maid coming toward him. Gokudera leapt out of his chair, avoiding his sister's eyes. "Get away from me!"

When Bianchi came even closer, Gokudera exploded into a dash. His older sister followed after him. "Hayato! Come back here!"

For moments, the table was quiet. Even the neighboring tables were taken back by the recent turn of events.

"What just happened?" Tsuna finally said. He never saw such a reaction between siblings, before. Somehow he was thankful he didn't have any.

"Sibling spat, maybe?" Yamamoto replied, staring off into the direction Gokudera and Bianchi disappeared in.

"Octopus-head is afraid of his own sister, to the extreme." Ryohei laughed. Seeing Gokudera being chased by his sibling made the boxer's day a bit brighter.

Dino commented with a small smile. "Who would have guessed?"

_Gokudera is never going to live this down. _Tsuna thought to himself. He knew the next time Gokudera ever started a fight with Dino or Ryohei they would use this as ammunition. But he was a bit interested in the relationship Gokudera had with his sister. It didn't seem to be a good one. Bianchi didn't seem like a bad person either. So he wondered what would make the bomber race off like that and also why was he willing to hide under a table to avoid her?

* * *

The maid café came to a close nearly past curfew, which would displease Hibari, so the student council wrapped things up pretty quickly. However, there was one last thing that had to be done. The prize had to be awarded. He didn't even know what came over him earlier today, to actually agree to spoon fed someone. Tsuna thought it wouldn't be a big deal, that there were worse fates than this. But it still wasn't okay.

Nonetheless, he was left alone in the library with a single slice of cake, awaiting the winner. He stared down at the dessert, wondered who the winner could be. He hoped the winner was someone he knew or someone who wasn't a pervert.

Suddenly, the door of the library creaked open. The mascot looked to the slightly ajar door and watched as someone slipped inside. Tsuna's eyes widened when he realized who the winner was.

"Dr. Shamal!" Exclaimed Tsuna. "You're the winner?"

The womanizing doctor turned his attention to Tsuna. A lecherous grin already forming on his mouth. "Of course, I had to visit the sweetie at this dump."

_This dump? This is a school?_ Tsuna considered in his head as he watched the foreigner walk toward him and took a seat. _Let's get this over with_.

"Well, the prize is I get to spoon fed you a piece of cake." Tsuna stated, gesturing to the cake on the table. The cake was a three layered devil's food cake with a whipped butter cream frosting and a drizzle of chocolate sauce. The cake was supposed to go with the decadent theme of the maid café, but it still looked pretty delicious. "I hope you like chocolate."

Shamal hadn't been looking at the cake. To him the most appetizing thing in front of him was Tsuna. "You know what would make this cake even better-"

Before the doctor could finish, the mascot stuffed piece of cake in his mouth. _Just eat the cake, pervert._

It went like this for a couple more minutes. Every time, Shamal would seem like he was about to make a comment, the freshman would stuff his mouth with the chocolate dessert. Tsuna would think the lecher would get the point, but he continued to fall into the same trap. The mascot was grateful that the cake vanished fairly quickly, making this a lot easier for Tsuna. Once the cake was done, Tsuna set the empty plate on to the table and then bowed lightly. "Well thank you so much for your contribution."

With this his job was done and now he had no reasons to stick around. The mascot turned to leave, not feeling comfortable being alone with Shamal.

"Wait, Missy." Shamal said as he grabbed Tsuna from behind. "Not even a little kiss for my efforts."

"N-no." The brunette said, trying to sound stern, but he was a bit uncomfortable with where Shamal's hands were placed. "I-I already gave you the prize."

The doctor whined. "It's not fair that those other guys get to kiss you all they want."

Tsuna froze, considering Shamal's words. It wasn't like that. The way Shamal placed it rubbed the brunette the wrong way. It made it sound as if anyone could come up to him and kiss him. It may seem that way to a lot of people, especially the girls who were watching and even the other boys in the school. But that just wasn't true.

At first the mascot had no idea what was going. He couldn't understand the attention he was getting. It was weird to him to have his friends, schoolmates or even strangers to show him such affection and not explain their actions. It was also difficult for him to realize their expectations to such actions. So Tsuna tried to understand their feelings and also his own feelings. But it was something very complicated. Something the brunette couldn't comprehend by just thinking about it, but only acting on it. And in taking action of those unusual feelings, he realized something that had been always there. A connection.

He had formed a connection with all of them in the beginning. And up till now the connections Tsuna had formed, began to grow into something else. They were special. It was different from Shamal because he never formed that type relationship with him and he was sure if there were any others that came along, they couldn't go up against these special bonds he developed.

Yamamoto, Gokudera, Ryohei, Dino, Hibari, Mukuro, Xanxus and Byakuran weren't just anyone. He had made a connection with all of them. In the short time he attended Namimori, these were the people he felt closest to, at ease with, and more engrossed in. Unlike with Shamal, he wouldn't mind if they wanted to touch him. They weren't strangers anymore and he couldn't label them as friends either, they had transcended that, they had become something more.

"It's not like that." The brunette found his voice again. He didn't think he needed to explain himself to the lecherous doctor, but he did want to make things clear, so there were no misunderstandings. Tsuna's eyes turned a vibrant orange as he declared. "They're different."

Shamal was taken aback by the brunette's sudden eye color change, but he didn't feel fear. Instead, those ardent irises seemed to be pulling him in, hypnotizing him. Unaware of his effect on Shamal, the mascot's gaze was unwavering. Abruptly, their locked gazes were broken when a sword was placed to Shamal's throat, surprising the both of them. Tsuna looked to the wielder of the sword and realized it was Byakuran's friend he had met earlier. Genkishi.

"Leave." Genkishi ordered of the doctor.

"Fine. Fine. I'm going." Shamal placed his hands up in surrender, stepping back a good distance away from the stoic student and the glowing eyed mascot. The doctor's eyes rested on the brunette. "See ya later, Tsunayoshi-chan."

"Hopefully we never meet again." Tsuna said under his breath as he watched Shamal leave the library.

"Are you hurt?" Genkishi said suddenly as he placed his long sword into its sheath.

Tsuna shook his head, but he realized the other wasn't looking at him. "No."

"Be more vigilant." The other said as he began to walk toward the exit.

"I-I will." The brunette stuttered, the blaze leaking from his eyes. Genkishi was right; he had to be more careful. More alert. Tsuna then noticed that the new student was standing by the door, waiting. For moments, he wondered what he was waiting for and then Tsuna realized it was him. Quickly, the mascot followed the student out of the library.

* * *

Shamal walked down the long corridor to where the principal's office was located. He came to the large doors and pushed them opened. The inside of the office was as dim as usual, but the doctor was still able to make out the two persons within the room. Reborn was of course sitting behind his desk. While, the other man, the third year professor of science, chemistry and physics, Verde, stood to the side. Verde was about Shamal's height if not taller; he had green unruly hair, glasses and a trademark white coat over his shirt and tie. Shamal saw Verde as a kind of rival, but the other party didn't feel the same, the science professor couldn't care less.

"So how did it go?" Reborn asked as the Italian womanizer walked a good bit into his office.

"I was nearly killed." Shamal answered, coolly as he ran a hand through his dark hair.

The principal's dark eyes peered at the doctor from under his fedora. "You didn't get out of line, did you?"

"I only wanted to kiss the cute mascot." The Italian doctor admitted with a leery expression. Then his eyes grew serious. "But then her eyes changed and a scary boy with weird eyebrows showed up."

"Haven't you been informed that this is an all boys' school? There is no way the mascot could be a female." Verde questioned.

Shamal nodded as if confirming something. "That girl has everyone fooled, I see."

Verde frowned at the other as he shook his head. Reborn just ignored him. The principal said to himself. "So it already started then?"

Although, Reborn was speaking to himself, the doctor and scientist still heard him clearly. From Shamal's and Verde's expressions, it seemed as if they knew of what the principal meant. But neither of them seemed as worrisome as Reborn.

Verde half smiled as he belittled Shamal. "So, the buffoon doctor actually came in handy. I'm surprised."

"I bet you haven't kissed nearly as many girls as I have." Shamal countered. The Italian doctor knew that he could not beat Verde, but there was one thing he had over the scientist. He was a ladies' man.

Verde looked indifferent as usual. The womanizing doctor's claims, though truthful, didn't faze the science professor at all. "I don't care about that. I care about science. Mankind wouldn't unlock the secrets of the universe by getting caught up in trivial things."

"I take that as a no. You should try it, Verde, maybe you'll loosen up."

"I'll pass." Verde said as he pushed his glasses frames up the brim of his nose. "I'm more interested in Sawada Tsunayoshi, though. I really want to see that boy's power."

"I'm telling you that's a girl!" Shamal exclaimed. The green haired scientist rolled his eyes at the delusional doctor.

Reborn turned his dark eyes to the third year professor. Although, it wasn't apparent on his stone-faced countenance, the principal was very distrustful of the other's motives. Shamal was one thing, but Verde was another. "Verde, first and foremost, you are an educator at this school. Don't over step your boundaries."

"Fine." Verde sighed lightly as he turned to leave. His back was turned to Reborn and Shamal, hiding his rebellious smirk. _Unfortunately, I have no sense of boundaries._

Chapter End

* * *

Notes-

Irrashaimase – A greeting for when you enter a shop or restaurant. It's close to welcome, but I'm not sure if it translates to it.

* * *

Author's Note: Things are starting to heat up literally! Sorry it took me so long to release this, but it was pretty long and there were so many things to incorporate in this chapter (and I dug my own grave by writing other stories). I couldn't figure out the ending either. However, I'm happy with the current ending because I think it was a good way to transition into the rated M plotline. Tsuna realizes that everyone he's involved, isn't just anybody but someone he has a special connection with. Will this make Tsuna more confident? Will he be scared off, anyway? You'll just have to keep reading. Obviously, Tsuna is going through changes. He doesn't realize it yet, but some people already know about it. Mukuro's chapter is next and I just have to say, it will be a very interesting chapter. Especially with Tsuna. Also the story will be rated M next chapter. You will no longer find this in rated T section, so story alert guys. THANK YOU to Sheridann for checking this chapter!

Please review…and continue to show your support.


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